Stay away from my baby
by Angela-Bennet
Summary: If the events at the end were different, Epps regrets the other deal she made with Jack on the Antonia Graza, Which will come back and haunt her. Jack doesn't forget. One special lady is getting a visit.Rating will change.
1. The Deal

WARNING THIS FANFICTION IS NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED, IF YOU ARE THE TYPE TO PASS OUT FROM SHOCK AT ANYTHING SEXUAL.  
PLEASE TURN AROUND.  
BUT IF YOU ARE WILLING TO STEP INTO MY WORLD... WELCOME!

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Jack approached Epps with the coolest of ease, and in turn, she edged away slightly still clutching the detonator.

"I don't seem to be getting through to you, what I'm asking for is an exchange...this ship...for your life." Jack's piercing blue eyes bore into Maureen's.

"I want my crew back." She replied coolly.

"Sorry, once the souls have been marked...their mine."

Maureen glanced over to the side, gathering her thoughts, then she looked up and stared him in the face.

"Then I guess it's over." Her finger twitched towards the trigger-

"Wait!" Jack exclaimed stepping forward, slightly panic stricken, Maureen jerked away. "Okay, okay...I'll give you your crew back...just fix this piece of shit up!"

"What, just like that?"

"Just like that."

Epps lowered the detonator to her side, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

"But I think I should mention the catch." A sneer slowly formed at the corner of his mouth, as he watched her smile being literally wiped off her face.

"I knew it, I just fucking knew it! what is it?" Dreading what she was about to hear.

Jack smirked, then he stalked over towards her, he placed both of his hands over her broad shoulders, and he brushed his lips over her ear. She shivered at his delicate touch. "Years from now Maureen, when you've settled down in a nice cosy little house, with a nice husband, you got a nice little family of your own building up...you must let me take your first child." He stepped back to observe her features, the smile still remained plastered on his face.

Her expression was blank, and then-"You bastard!...I think I'm doing enough for you already!" she clenched her fists.

"Is that yes then?"

"Fuck you! You really think I would hand over my child to a murdering son-of-a-bitch like you, you must be out of your fucking mind!"

"Well in that case, you're not leaving this ship alive...not to mention you won't see your 'family' for a very long time, maybe even never." Jack sighed and started to walk away from her slowly.

Maureen suddenly realised she was no longer holding the detonator, she would have blown the place up there and then if she had it. Pure hatred and anger pushed its way up from the pit of her stomach, she gritted her teeth together, lashed out. "YOU FUCKING SON-OF-A-BITCH!" She ran at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, and jumping onto his back. He chucked evilly as he swung her across the room, bashing her against the railings on the side of the catwalk. She yelped in agony as he fell back on the stairway, with her pinned between him and cold metal steps, which were digging painfully into her back.

"I'm offering you a great opportunity for a happy life." He said pushing his weight down on her.

"Aaaaa...yeah...sure, then you'll come along and ruin my life by taking away an important thing from my life." She croaked, feeling extremely claustrophobic. Her arms tightened around his neck. Jack began to cough and splutter.

"You know Epps, if you kill someone y-you go to hell...then again you might want to go there yourself... s-s-since part of your friends are already there." He managed to get out through gasps.

Maureen still held tight, her eyes in deep concentration. "You know perfectly well I can't die, Maureen." Jack within one swift movement, yanked her arms away, forced them apart and rolled around, so his chest was pressed firmly against hers. She struggled terribly as he brought her arms up above her head and held them there. Maureen kicked and screeched in frustration, as he pinned her. His hypnotic eyes gazing into hers. She stopped struggling and relaxed, even though she was worried about what he was going to do next.

He lowered his head, his small lips getting closer and closer, until they gently brushed against hers, then his chin came to rest on her forehead with just his bottom lip grazing her head. The scent that greeted her was a mixture of peppermint, cologne, and salt. Maureen closed her eyes and took it all in. After what seemed like a minute-"You can't make me agree to your deed, Jack." She whispered, slightly disorientated.

"I know, but just think about it." He answered gently, running his fingers softly over the smooth skin of her arm. He smiled against her head as he felt the reaction he was getting off her. Goosebumps. Suddenly, without warning he got up, so he was standing over her. He offered her his hand. Maureen glanced nervously at it, 'Surely he wasn't going to suck out her soul there and then.' She thought.

Jack realising her hesitation. "Don't worry, I want you to see something." She shakily took his hand, and he helped her up. He put an arm about her back to keep her facing one direction. Jack waved his other hand in front of him, as if searching for an invisible wall. Suddenly five golden orbs materialised out of his palm. Epps was transfixed at the site. The orbs gracefully floated around the room, then came back down and circled Epps' head, then they floated away, and hovered in a group metres in front of them. Jack clicked his fingers, and the orbs suddenly manifested into non-other than-

"Murphy...Santos...Munder...Greer...Dodge!" Epps exclaimed. Her crew checked the own bodies, amazed at where they were. Then they smiled and ran out to greet Epps. She hugged every member of her crew for one minute, expressing "I thought I was never going to see you again." She said as her eyes began to well up.

Murphy held her in a tight embrace. "I would be proud to call you my daughter." Epps smiled with joy as she hugged her 'dad'. She was tapped on the shoulder, she turned around and came face-to-face with Dodge. "There is something I should of told you the day we were travelling here...and the thing is...I love you Maureen Epp." Maureen was over come with emotion, and her heart began to ache as she smiled and released tears of joy. Dodge smiled back, and pulled Epps into a passionate kiss. The rest of the crew smiled pleasantly at there friends, while Munder fake retched, Maureen and Dodge couldn't help but smile against each others lips. After about a minute they broke there kiss, and held each other in an affectionate embrace.

She looked over Dodge's shoulder at Jack, who was watching her intently, she noticed no-one else was aware of his presence. He had his arms folded and he looked as smug as ever. "So...what do you say?"

She glanced over to the side in deep thought. 'It'll be a long time till I have kids, he would have probably forgotten by then?' Her chocolate browns met up with his pale blue eyes, her lip still glistening with Dodge's Sylvia...she nodded.

Jack grinned and dematerialised.

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please r


	2. Stay away from my baby

The first bit is basically telling how it came too be, and it will get more interesting further in the chapter.

6 months later, after the Antonia Graza... Maureen and Dodge married. A big party was held in their honour, at the very bar the crew met in. And after the massive reception, the blushing bride and the groom were thrown off the pier together. They then swam in a fit of giggles to their boat, which they had bought during their courting months, and they had named it the Arctic Warrior 2. They sailed many hundreds of miles, including to the honeymoon destination on an uninhabited island not far off the coast.

After a year of adventurous sea voyages, and various ocean battles on stormy waters. Maureen and Dodge decided to settle down somewhere in the city. So they moved into a nice Victorian style house in Boston. A month after their arrival, Maureen discovered she was 6 weeks pregnant. So she spent most of her time off her feet. Dodge apart from working at the docks and running a market, he would have to rush around doing errands for his wife, mostly to satisfy her midnight cravings, such as; chocolate éclairs, pickled onions, and pop tarts.

Maureen wasn't keen on being pregnant, it made her feel week and vulnerable, she felt incapable of doing things, especially when her dad (Murphy) or her husband were about they would always sit her down and tell her 'take it easy' or 'you shouldn't be on your feet, Maureen', when they could just say 'you mires well just sit down, because you can't do anything anyway'.

All those years of being a secondary captain to a rough sea vessel were coming to an end. But it was worth it...when she first looked into the emerald eyes of her baby girl.

4 years later...

" Daddy!" Catrina's eyes lit up as she smiled, she used her little legs to run to her daddy, who enveloped her, lifted her into the air, and put her over his shoulder.

"How's my little girl then?" He said as he carried her to the car.

"Okay, I guess." Catrina replied, her voice dropping.

Dodge put his daughter down, and opened the car door. "You seem a little unsure about that."

"Well...I've been thinking lately...and...when are you going to take me out to sea?" She exclaimed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before climbing into the back.

Dodge got into the car and closed the door, turning around to Catrina. "What's brought this up?"

"Well in class today we were told to write about our favourite holidays, one boy wrote about him and his family camping, and one girl wrote about her journey to France on a Concorde, and everybody else talked about their trip to Disney world." She said in a childish perplexed way.

"We've been to Disney world, why not write about that?"

"Dad...I don't wanna write about where everybody else has been, that would be boring, I want to have an original holiday...why can't we go on yours and mummy's boat?"

"We will someday, but not anytime soon, your mum and I promised to give it a rest for a while." Dodge started the car and pulled out onto the main road. Catrina, feeling defeated, folded her arms and looked out the window. Then after awhile she got out her sketch pad and began drawing things outside.

Dodge glanced at his daughter through the rear view mirror. She had grown fast in a short space in time. Her head which once only held a few gingering hairs, was now a full head of wavy brown hair, which reached the base of her back, and had flecks of blonde at the tips. Her eyes had been manufactured from Dodge's blue and Maureen's brown eyes, and had transformed into emerald orbs of colour, which were partly covered by a light fringe. Dodge smiled.

They pulled into the drive way of their home. Catrina jumped out, and ran into the house, dragging her school bag behind her. Maureen was ready and waiting by the door. As soon as Catrina had stepped into the doorway she was swept off her feet, and carried to the couch. She squealed as she was tickled by her mum. "Grrrrrrrr...tickle tickle...grrrrrrr...tickle tickle!" Dodge came around the back of the sofa and kissed his wife.

"I believe it's somebody's birthday in a couple of days." Dodge said leaning on the couch, and side glancing at Maureen, who smiled.

Catrina sat up, her eyes glinting. "Am I having a party!"

"You might be." Maureen and Dodge said in unison.

Catrina grinned as her mum and dad strolled into the kitchen.

Two days later...

Catrina stood blind-folded, clutching a bat in the middle of 10 giggling children, who were all sticking a hand in to spin her around, the group scattered. Catrina ran forward swinging her bat around. She smiled as her bat made contact with card and tissue paper , a-ha she was in swing range.

After she had made one hit, sweets began cascading down upon her, her friends cheered as they crawled across the grass towards the many chocolate éclairs, rainbow lollipops, and fruit pastilles scattered across the floor. Catrina removed her blind-fold, and began grabbing all the sweets she could get her hands on.

She stood and glanced at her friends. Well only 3 of them were her friends, the rest of them were random class mates who she got on with. Emma her best friend came up behind her as she was day-dreaming. "Did you like my gift!"

"Oh yes, it's beautiful." Catrina said, raising her arm to look at the thread woven, beaded bracelet. "Did you make it yourself?"

"Yes, I spent a week on it."

Catrina smiled warmly and hugged Emma. Emma then departed to join some boys who were trying to sit on some balloons.

Amidst the music and the sound of children playing, Catrina just stood there in her lilac party dress, which was fanning out around her ankles, the sun shining down on her brown hair, and reflecting off her purple ribbon. She scratched her arm feeling overcome with boredom. Catrina decided to get some punch. She walked over to the refreshment table, and reached across for a plastic cup.

A big gush of wind blew and ruffled through her hair. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, she felt an unsettling feeling she was being watched by someone that didn't want to be seen. Catrina looked about her, her mates were rolling across the grass, wrestling over balloons, her dad was fiddling with the barbeque, and her mum was icing her birthday cake. No one was taking much notice of her anyway. She turned back to the punch bowl...her eyes widened, reflected in the red liquid was a man staring at her, he had short mousy hair, thin lips, and intriguing eyes. His lips curled into a smile, and he mouthed something at her, but she couldn't make it out. Catrina leaned towards the punch bowl in curiosity-

"Honey, what are you doing?" Maureen asked, putting down the tray of cocktail weenies.

"Oh...I was just checking the punch." She stood up straight, folding her arms behind her back innocently. Catrina watched her mother walk away, she looked back at the red liquid, the man had disappeared.

Two weeks later...

It was Autumn, the leaves on the trees had now turned crisp and were floating down to the floor. Maureen stared out the window into the back garden, her face hitched with concern. Catrina sat alone on the bench staring at the ground.

Dodge came up to Maureen from behind, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What's wrong?" He said quietly in her ear.

"I don't know, I'm just getting a little worried about Catrina, that's all." Maureen placed both her hands on Dodge's.

"In what way?"

"Well she's been a little quiet lately, she normally has so much to say, but nowadays it's just...like...she's not bothered...or...she's hiding something?"

"-Or she could be maturing?"

"She's five, Dodge!"

Dodge thought for a moment "Maybe she's being bullied at school."

"No she's not, I've asked her, and I've had the school closely monitoring her."

"And what did the school find out?" Dodge questioned.

"They said she was normally off in a world of her own, sometimes they found her talking to herself."

"You don't think she'll need to visit a shrink do you?" Dodge asked starting to look concerned.

"No...no, I just think we should keep a close eye on her." Maureen , made her way to the back door, and opened it. "Catrina, it's getting cold now...don't you wanna come inside?"

Catrina slid off the bench, and trotted inside. She took off her coat, and then slumped onto a chair at the table. Maureen for a moment couldn't blink, her daughter's resemblance to the meek little girl on the ship was almost uncanny.

"Say Catrina, why do you watch 'snow white and the seven dwarfs' ?" Dodge inquired.

"I just want to go to my room." She said quietly. Then she slowly got up and made her way to the stairs.

Maureen and Dodge watched her go. "Maybe I should go and check on her?" She said, and quickly followed.

When she got to her daughter's bedroom door which was covered in flowers, she heard her daughter's mumbling from the other side. She pushed open the door. The room was terribly dark, and she was surprised to be greeted with an intense cold air. "Jeeze Catrina, it's freezing in here." She rounded the door to see Catrina standing in the corner of the room, with a nervous look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Maureen asked concerned.

Catrina slowly approached her mum. "He must have followed me in the house? He won't leave me alone!"

Maureen was both puzzled, and on edge with what her daughter had just said. She lowered herself to her child's eye level, and held her at the shoulders. "Who Catrina...who!" Her voice getting panicky.

Catrina stepped away, and rummaged through her bedside table draw, and she pulled out a folded up piece of paper. Catrina gave it to her mum. Maureen looked at the paper, and hesitated before she opened it. She then unfolded it, half by half, until she came to the last fold, she flipped the paper over and stared wide eyed at the page. ...There looking up at her was a sketch of Jack Ferriman.  
Her whole world turned upside down in anger, panic and absolute fear, she could do nothing more than grab her daughters hand and drag her out of that room. She ran down the corridor and into her and Dodge's room.

"Mummy, who is that man?" Catrina whispered, with a hint of fear.

"Nobody honey." Maureen whispered, placing a hand on her own head, trying to pace herself, and trying to think.

"How come you're so scared?" Her daughter questioned.

Her mother looked down at her, thinking of the right thing to say. "Well, he is an old friend who turned into a bit of a nasty friend."

"Can he hurt any of us?" Catrina said, in a squeaky voice.

Maureen looked at her and guided her to the wooden chest at the foot of her bed. "No sweetie... he can't, at least not when I'm around." She tucked a strand of her daughters hair behind her ear. Catrina's eyes darted to the side, and she stiffened-

"MUMMY HE'S HERE!"

-Maureen whirled around, she came face to face with Jack, the smell of peppermint, cologne and salt came rushing back to her, and she felt like she was being dragged back to the catwalk. She pulled her daughter behind her protectively. "Now you stay away from her! Do you hear me...STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

Jack stood there with a serious look upon his face, he hadn't aged since the last time she had met him. He was still 24. His pale blue eyes still contained their unearthy brightness and sharpness. Jack smiled, showing his pearly whites. "Come come Maureen, we had a deal...you wouldn't want you friends and family to suddenly disappear would you?" His voice was deep and calm.

"I won't let you take her...I would kill you before you do!" Her hands remained wrapped tightly around her daughters small wrist behind her back. Catrina peered around the side of her mum, with a questioning look on her fearful face.

Jacks eyes met Catrina's, she saw a great flash, followed by a few vivid flickery images. She saw the Artic Warrior sailing through a rough sea -'flash'- Her mum, dad, granddad, and a few of their friends she knew, walking down a dark corridor -'flash'- Her mum and the scary man talking at the front of a boat -'flash'- Her mum and the scary man tackling each other to the ground -'flash'- Her mum hugging her dad, and nodding to the scary man. The room came back into focus, Catrina placed a hand on her head as a head ache raked through her skull. "Mummy...what is he trying to show me!" She yelled in pain, rubbing her head.

Maureen dropped to her knees and held her daughter's head. "JACK...WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER?...LEAVE HER ALONE!"

"I'm showing her something you should of told her...about the bargain... and she belongs to me!" Jack exclaimed, he then made a grab for her. Maureen jumped up and darted away bringing her child with her.

Suddenly she heard someone running up the stairs, 'maybe there is still hope?' She thought, as she gripped Catrina tightly. Dodge came bursting into the room. "What the hell is going-" he caught sight of Jack, and before he could do anything - Jack quickly raised his open hand, and an incredible force hit Dodge squarely in the chest, and it threw him through the bedroom door and down the stairs.

Catrina screamed. "Daddy!" She was about to run past Jack, and run down the stairs after him, but her mum remained clutching her, tighter than ever.

"This isn't over...that was just a warning...I will come back in years time and claim her, and I won't tell you when...it'll be a big surprise." Jack dematerialised with a sneer on his face.

Maureen never felt so scared in her entire life, she squeezed her daughter, as they both began to sob. The smell of Jack had now gone, and a pleasant warmth returned to the room. The sun blared across them from the window. Maureen pulled away looking into her daughters face, her eyes were puffy and her nose was bleeding.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She guided Catrina out of the room, the door had been blown off it's hinges and lay on the floor. They peered from the top of the stairs at Dodge who was slowly getting up at the foot. "Aaa...will someone please explain what the hell just happened?" He groaned as rubbed his back.


	3. Gotcha

WARNING SEXUAL CONTENTS...IT'LL GET WORSE!

Don't worry I'll do this epilogue style of text a lot less. It just to make sure you understand what has happened.

After that terrific night, Maureen and Dodge kept a close eye on their daughter. Catrina became very clingy to them, as they were to her. For a few years she would sleep in her mum and dads room. She was collected from school 10 minutes earlier, so she wouldn't mingle in a crowd and be lost. After 5 years they decided to give her a little freedom. She was back in her own room again, she walked to school and back with her friends. And she could run around in the garden and sketch, without her dad closely monitoring her.

Years went by...Catrina spent her childhood like any other kid her age. The memories of the frightening evening had passed, they turned into just faint memories, which then turned to forgotten nightmares.

7 years later...

"It wasn't like casual sex...actually it was kind of rough, but is a one night stand, casual sex?" Emma said, while gesturing her hands.

"I don't want to know, Em !" Catrina rolled her eyes, the look of disgust edging on her face.

"Well I wanna know, I want to see where I stand with this guy?" Emma took a sip from her strawberry milkshake.

"Guys, can you stop talking about me, right in front of me...and 'this guy' has a name!"

Emma leaned sideways, and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry baby...but I needed a second opinion." She kissed him on the neck affectionately, then she sat up, still rubbing his thigh.

"So when are you gonna be ready to get laid?" Emma asked, smiling cheekily at Catrina.

Catrina stared at Emma shocked with her mouth open. "Soon as you stop making it sound like an offer!"

"Oh come on, you've been dating this new guy...err Robert, for like 5 weeks, and you haven't even brought the come on yet?"

"Excuse me?" Catrina said, furrowing her brow. "I don't believe I'm having this conversation with you pervs." She got up from her chair, dragging her sketch pad with her, and she walked around behind her friends to leave.

Emma and her boyfriend smiled cheekily at her. "Oh yeah... I almost forgot, are you coming to Stacey's house party tonight?" Emma leaned her head back to see Catrina opening the cafe door.

"Errr no... I got to go to one of those job interview thingys." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "My mum thinks it's best to have a job ready when I start college." Catrina exited the cafe, breathing in the fresh air around her.

She broke into a jog down the main street, as she approached the park she slowed down to a speedy walk. She looked about her, couples were sun bathing on the grass, young teens skate-boarding around the bandstand, and a mixture of hippies and hobos we playing guitars and singing under trees.

Suddenly a great gush of wind blew about her, leaves went flying, strands of her hair spiralled around her face, her tight jumper even rippled against her cold skin, then her sketch pad flew out of her hand. Catrina ran after it, when she caught up with it, it had landed near the foot of a park bench. As she bent down to reach it, she sensed someone sitting on the bench, watching her. She quickly looked up, she caught a glimpse of what looked like the corner of a navy blue overcoat disappearing around a tall hedge. Catrina jumped up and rushed to the hedge, to peer around the corner, no one was there. She shook off the feeling, and proceeded out of the park.

Catrina steadily jogged back home clutching her pad tightly to her chest, her hair flowing behind her. She reached her house and scrambled inside, slamming the door behind her.

"Honey, your back already...I thought you would be out with Robert or your friends for another 40 minutes?" Maureen's head poked around the kitchen door.

"Well I had to get away, I got a whole lot of studying to do...err...bye!" Catrina rushed upstairs without another word.

She went into her bedroom and locked the door. She then jumped onto her bed, and began skimming through the pages of her pad. Every page was covered in detailed drawings of ships, each and every one unique and unknown to her. Then as she reached the last two pages she found that they were covered in different sketches of a little girl dressed in a fine party dress, which she didn't remember drawing.

Catrina glanced at her watch 4:00pm, she had another 65 minutes before her interview. She jumped up and began to change her clothes. She slipped into a black skirt and tights (pantyhose), with matching high heeled boots, and then she put on a dark green V necked top. Catrina pulled her blondie brown hair into a high pony-tail, and then she applied some lip-gloss.

She walked downstairs, flicking through her drawings, then she entered the kitchen. Her mum looked up from her magazine at her and smiled pleasantly. "You look nice."

"Thanks." Catrina sat on a stool next to the countertop. Maureen turned her back to her daughter to wash the pots. "Err...mum, what's the Antonio Graza."

There was a great clatter of pots, Maureen stiffened. "Why do you ask?"

"Err...I'm just curious that's all?"

"I know, but you wouldn't have mentioned it...if you hadn't had some source of information." Maureen's voice began to get edgy.

Catrina said nothing and slid her open pad across the counter, her mum dried her hands on a flannel and silently looked through her pad. Maureen turned every page to be greeted by another memory, she never blinked once. "Did you draw all of these?"

"Yeah."

"But how, you couldn't have seen these ships by sight."

"I see them in my dreams...but I don't understand, why won't I see them by sight...are they in a different country or are they out at sea?"

"No...their over 1000ft below sea level to be precise." Maureen folded her arms. "And they sunk before you were born."

Catrina stared wide eyed at her drawings. "But who's the girl?" Catrina stretched across the table and flipped over a few pages.

Maureen jumped back from the counter. "Have you seen this girl in your dreams?" She looked horror struck.

"Mum, who is that girl...do you know her?"

Maureen pulled herself together "Her name is Katie Harwood, she was a passenger on the Antonio Graza...and that is her resting place."

"Did she drown?" Catrina asked, slightly spooked.

Maureen looked wearily at her daughter unsure if she should tell her everything. "No...she was murdered, by a couple of crew members, she was one of the many others that were murdered on that ship."

Catrina stood horrified. "Murdered...but why!"

"Greed Catrina, Greed...you see, there were crates of gold on the ship, who ever got their hands on that would have become millionaires...maybe even billionaires."

"But why kill all of the passengers...why not leave the ship, and take the gold with them."

"Because they needed the ship to transport the gold...and the passengers would have got in the way."

"The gold...did it belong to all the passengers?" Catrina questioned.

Maureen turned her back. "No...it belonged to a man that was onboard at the time." Her voice became quiet.

"Who was he...was he a passenger...did he die with the others?" Catrina continued.

"Your asking too many questions." Her mother walked out of the kitchen into the living room. Catrina stood there awhile letting everything catch up with her, then she followed her mum.

"Is any of this to do with the bogeyman?"

Maureen turned around puzzled. "The bogeyman?"

"Yes...the man that came after us when I was little." Catrina watched her mum stare her in the face with fear.

"How did you remember that?" Maureen approached her daughter.

"I have faint memories of it, or you could say nightmares." Her mother looked at sympathetically. "Mum...what he said...he won't come after me will he?"

"No... it's been 12 years now...he's probaby forgotten by now...why'd you ask...you haven't seen him have you!" Maureen approached to look into Catrina's green eyes.

"No I haven't, I just want to know what he meant by me being his?"

"My my, you remember a lot,...oh it meant nothing, he's just a very possessive person that's all." She replied, getting slightly agitated.

"So you knew him then-"

"No no...I didn't."

"You must of, he mentioned you by name...and...and you called him...Jack!" Catrina exclaimed, she pulled away. "How come I'm getting the feeling your not telling me everything!"

"Because I'm telling you stuff that is safe for you to know!"

"And just what is that supposed to mean!" Catrina yelled. "I know you think I'm a little girl...but I'm not anymore, and I know a little more than you think I know!"

"Like what!"

"Well...in my dreams I've seen you, dad, and Granddad going on a ship which looks very similar to the Antonio Graza, I've seen you wrestling with Jack the bogeyman, then I've seen you nodding in agreement totally calm...even though Jack was in the room!"

Suddenly the clock chimed. They both stopped and looked at the clock. "I'm gonna be late...bye!" Catrina broke the silence and ran for the door, grabbing her handbag on the way.

She rushed out of the door. Her heels clicked heavily on the tarmac as she jogged down the street. She hated moving fast in heels. The chilling wind which made contact with her exposed skin, made her teeth chatter. She turned into the main street, Catrina began to pick up the pace, her bobble flew out of her hair and landed on the pavement, she didn't bother to go back for it. She ran by loads of people, who were all curious to where she was running to. She glanced at her watch 5:05, the time her interview was dure to start. Her legs seized up as they protested for a rest, her chest heaved painfully, she tasted copper in her mouth. Catrina ran up the steps of the 'Gap' store, she wrapped her ice cold fingers around the steel handle of the door, and pulled. The door remained shut-

"Shit!" She kicked the door in frustration. She tried the door again, and without suceeding she banged her palms against the doors. "Oh come on...I was only like a minute late." She placed her foot on one door, and pulled with all her might on the other door. Then she decided to bash the door with her side, but as she did, she caught her head on the glass, and she mouthed a wide 'ow' as she rubbed her bruise. Catrina gave up and turned to leave, noticing passer byers had stopped to watch her trying to get in, in amusement. She blushed as she started to walk the long way home.

"I could have gone to Stacey's party...but nooo, I went to a stupid job interview, which is now cancelled." She muttered to herself as she swung her handbag to and thro. "Now I have to go home and face my mum and dad, and tell them I didn't get the job because I was late...then I have to tell them to turn on the TV, 'because I might be featured on a cops programme...subject tempting to break and enter.' She kicked a can.

After about 5 minutes of walking, she thought about the Antonio Graza. 'If the crew had killed all the passengers, and they still had the gold, and they were preparing to sail away into the sunset, why the hell did it sink?' As she was thinking, she hadn't noticed the wind had increased in force around her. 'Did it hit an iceberg or something...err wait...then how come my mum and dad on it?...wowe I'm getting way over my head here!' She thought.

Suddenly she sensed someone was walking behind her, she picked up her pace, bringing her handbag to her shoulder. The person behind her had increased their speed as well, she panicked slightly and began to jog, she prayed she wouldn't trip and brake her neck on her heels. The sound pattern her shoes were making, matched her followers'. Catrina found herself braking into a run, fear caused her lungs to seize up, as she tore along the pavement. She saw her house in the distance. She darted across the road and scrambled into her house, slamming the door shut behind her, her frame shook with terror.

"Hello?...I'm back!" Catrina partly yelled, she slipped off her shoes.

As she calmed down, she realised how cold it was in the house, and it chilled her to the bone. She would normally find her mum and dad watching TV in the living room, but all the lights were out and TV wasn't even on, so it was deadly quiet.

"Mum...Dad!" There was no response.

She hated the idea of being alone in a dark house. If it was her birthday, then she would have been thrilled, because the lights could suddenly switch on, and all her friends and family could jump out from under the table and behind the curtains yelling 'SURPRISE!' But her birthday was a week away, she knew that wouldn't happen. She smelt a very familiar scent, but she couldn't place it.

She noticed a small note on the table, she picked it up -suddenly there was a clatter from the kitchen, Catrina jumped around, her heart drummed hard in her ribs. She saw that a light was on. "Who's there!"

"It's only me honey!" Catrina heard her mum say.

She rounded the corner, to find her mother washing the pots, she felt slightly relieved, but kind of unnerved. "Err mum...why are you washing the pots, again?"

"Erm...I thought they could do with another clean."

Catrina nodded and mouthed an 'O', while rocking on the balls of her feet. She was startled by her mum turning around open armed. "Oh honey!"

Catrina jumped backwards. "Aren't you mad?"

Maureen stood for a moment and thought. "Why should I be mad? I'm just glad your home." She made to hug her again.

"Where's dad?" She said, as she took a step back.

"Oh...he's gone out to get a pizza." Maureen replied hesitantly.

"Oh, okay then...bye!" Catrina quickly backed out the kitchen and headed for the stairs. She brought the note closer to her eyes, it said;

Gone to get Chinese,  
back in a jiff !  
Mum xx

Catrina's eyes widened, and before she could take action, she felt a pair of strong arms cross over her arms, and pull tightly around her waist. She kicked and screamed as her feet left the floor. A hand came up to her mouth, to silence her, but it only muffled her cries slightly. Then she saw something she only thought she would see in sci-fi films, her attacker's hand began to glow a yellowy colour, and she was greeted by the smell of chloroform, her eyelids grew heavy, and her breathing became slow as she drifted into the darkness, and was rendered unconscious.

Jack held Catrina's limp form in his arms, he placed one arm behind her back and his other behind her knees, and then he lifted, he was surprised at how light she was. Just as he dematerialised he muttered under his breath "Gotcha!'"


	4. Trying

WARNING PEOPLE...SEXUAL CONTENT well maybe not quite.

* * *

Maureen walked up the driveway towards her house, carrying the Chinese. She placed a hand on the door handle, preparing to put the key in, but the door flew open. Still baffled by the door being unlocked, she stepped inside. A nasty breeze blew through the lifeless house. Maureen tripped slightly on something, she looked at the floor and noticed a pair of black boots which were disarray. 'Ah... Catrina must be back, I wonder if she's got the job?' she thought as closed the door behind her, and kicked the boots under the table. She walked across the hall towards the kitchen, switching on all the lights as she passed, wondering why the lights weren't on in the first place.

"Dodge, Catrina?...I got the Chinese!" She yelled towards the ceiling. She placed the bag on the counter and removed her coat. She peered into the living room, nobody there.

She walked to the bottom of the stairs. "Hello...is there anybody there!" She began to trot upstairs. "Dodge?...I know you're here, you were here before I left!"

Maureen searched every room, no one was in the house. Catrina's room looked the same as when she left it before the interview, Maureen even checked her wardrobe.

"This isn't funny anymore you guys!" She trudged downstairs, and she made her way to the kitchen, but something caught her eye on the way. Something dark was seeping out from under the closet door, under the stairs. She reached out for the doorknob cautiously, dreading her worse fears. Maureen quickly pulled it open - Dodge lifeless form slumped out of the cupboard, and dropped near her feet - She swallowed her scream as she dropped to her knees, and placed his gashed bloody head on her lap. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Wake-up baby." She pushed his dirty blonde hair back to look into his face. "Oh baby please wake-up." She checked his pulse, it was very week, he had lost a lot of blood. "I don't want to lose you again."

Suddenly a groan escaped his lips, and his eyes began to flutter open. "You won't lose me again." He breathed.

"Thank god." Maureen said, wiping away her tears. He tried to get up, but his wife pushed him back down again. "Save your energy honey...now, who did this to you?"

Dodge placed both hands over his face, and he rubbed at his eyes, then a look of realisation passed across his pasty face, and he jumped up in panic. "Oh god, Jack was here!"

Maureen looked horror struck as well as Dodge, and they both yelled in unison "Catrina!" They both took off around the house, searching. Dodge checked the garden, then he went around to ask the neighbours, while Maureen called all of Catrina's friends, to see if she had gone to stay over. She sunk to the carpet as she considered the big possibility that Jack had taken her, Dodge came through the front door to see his wife kneeling on the carpet, sobbing, next to the phone. He sat down next to her, and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry we'll get her back,...and then it's payback time for Jack!"

* * *

Catrina didn't know where she was, she couldn't see anything, the world was pitch black to her. All she heard was faint echoic voices, which she could only make out slightly. She made an attempt to open her eyes, but her lids were still too heavy for her, she tried to scream, but her voice box felt like it had shrivelled up into nothing, she tried to move her body, but every inch of her was numb and paralysed.

After awhile she gained feeling back in her fingers, and they curled around ripples of silk sheeting. She knew she was on some kind of a luxury bed. Catrina was suddenly hit by a great amount of fear and nausea, she hated the idea of being on a strangers bed, especially if she had no means of defending herself. Her ears then began to tune in better to the voices around her, and she was able to put together sentences.

"What does he want with her anyway?" One person's voice said quietly.

"Who knows?...A servant, an extra soul, or maybe even a sex slave!..."

Catrina swallowed, while listening intently.

"Well I've heard he only took her because of some deal he made with a woman many years ago." Another voice whispered.

"Where on earth did you hear that!"

"Francesca told me yesterday."

"Oh...one of Jack's sex slaves told you a?" A voice said, with a hint of amusement.

"Hey!...She had sex with him once, and that was before she died."

"Speaking of sex...who wants to go first at touching this girl's bosom?" A cocky man asked. Catrina on the inside, shook with fear. "You Roy, are you game?" There was silence for a few seconds. "Or you Daniel?"

Catrina guessed he must of shook his head.

"Go on...I dare ya."

"No!...I can't, he told us no one's allowed to lay a finger on her." Another replied in a harsh whisper.

"Well he's not gonna know is he? Just go over there and touch it!"

"No, I ain't that perverted."

"This is her breast we're talking about, not what's under her skirt,...then again I wouldn't mind!" Catrina would have stared wide eyed at this comment, but she couldn't.

"You sicko!"

"Well if you're not going to do anything, I will." The next thing Catrina heard was the sound of someone getting up from a chair, and traipsing across the floor, she felt terribly indecent and desperately tried to move.

"-No, don't do it, he could appear any minute!" The man half yelled and half whispered.

She felt the hem of her skirt being tugged up, tears were forming in the corner of her eyes. And then-

"And just what do you think your doing!" A slightly angered silky voice said from the corner of the room. "Get out!...I'll deal with you later." She had heard that voice before.

Catrina thanked the heavens in her head. She heard foot steps approach her, then she felt two hands brush her waist as the person adjusted her skirt. Then a hot breath fanned across her face, and she was greeted with the smell of peppermint. This gesture caused her fingers to twitch slightly, the person jumped back.

"Oh you're awake?"

Rapidly, her whole body came back to life, as if he had said the magic words. She opened her eyes to come face -to -face with Jack. Her eyes widened with fear, and she tried to jump as far away as she could, but her attempt was effortless. She found that each of her limbs had been handcuffed to a bedpost.  
Jack smiled in amusement at her struggling.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU BASTARD!" She shrieked as the silk sheets began to fold into a heap at the foot of the bed.

"Well you're a charming little thing aren't you?" He reached out to caress her cheek, she bit out at him, and he jerked away, then started to laugh.

His laughter showed no sign of fear or anger, just some kind of a sick twisted happiness, her aggression faded slightly.

"That's a nice way of treating your saviour." Jack folded his arms, and stood superiorly over her.

"If you hadn't have captured me in the first place, I wouldn't have been in that mess." She spat.

"I needed to capture you Catrina...because I have a deal to uphold, and I'm not the sort of person to make a deal, and totally forget about the other end of it."

Catrina caught on a pattern. "What deal is this?...those men in the room with me, they mentioned a woman you made a deal with years ago."

Jack innocently tilted his head to the side. "Did they really?" He pursed his thin lips, with a dangerous look in his eye. "That Francesca is gonna get it right in the neck." He then sniggered at his own comment.

"Any way...about the deal?" Catrina asked curiously, Jack's gaze came back to her, and she again filled up with dread.

Jack sat down next to Catrina on the bed. "I'm guessing your mother never told you fully about her past experiences, has she?"

"Not really no...but what's that got to do with the deal?" Beginning to get impatient.

"Well...I suppose I could tell you everything." Jack ran a finger along her leg, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "But first I want to get a bit more comfortable."

Jack brought his legs onto the bed, and lay his head down on the pillow next to her. She shuffled away almost immediately. "Keep your distance Jack!" She warned.

He smirked and placed his hands behind his head. "Right so we're both comfy."

"I'd be more comfy if I was 100 miles away from you, with a high brick wall in between." She side glanced at Jack, and it chilled her to see him silently chuckling.

"Would it satisfy you if I undid your hand cuffs?"

"Yes." Catrina replied through gritted teeth.

He reached in his pocket, and leaned across her. She was instantly captivated with his slender jaw line, her eyes wondered down his pale neck, and she suddenly stopped herself from looking down his shirt at his chest.

Jack pulled back, tossing the cuffs to the floor. Catrina rubbed her wrists, her eyes darted around the room noting all the exits, planning her escape. She sat up, and moved to the very edge of the bed out of Jack's reach.

"Your mum and Dad were salvagers as you probably know, I approached them one day telling them about a ship which was supposed to have gold on it -"

"Wait are you talking about the Antonia Graza?"

"Err...yes." Jack replied. "You know about it then?"

"Yeah...a guy brought gold on board...the crew saw the gold...they formed a plan...they killed all the passengers...then I'm guessing the crew sailed the ship for awhile, hit an ice-berg and sank." Catrina finished. "I am right."

Jack scratched his head. "So that's what your mum told you?"

"Yep...pretty much."

Jack's face concealed a hidden smile, and Catrina cringed slightly. "Well...some of those facts are correct...the rest is... how do you say?...Bullshit."

Catrina's heart sunk. _'She lied to me!'_ She thought.

"Well the thing is." Jack leaned in close to Catrina so their noses were almost touching. "We're sitting on the Antonia Graza." He then observed her reaction, waiting for the side effects to transpire.

"You're...you're...you're lying to me!" Catrina's eyes widened, as she jumped back. She couldn't believe it, she wouldn't believe it . She looked about her and ran to the curtains, and pulled them back to find a rusty porthole, outside the entire landscape was covered in water and she saw nothing in the horizon, just blue sky. Catrina had to be sure she wasn't where she thought. She turned around to see Jack standing in front of the doorway with a serious look upon his face. Catrina knew that he knew she was going to bolt out of the door. She dodged from to side to pass him, but he managed to dodge with her. His lips curled into a slight lopsided smile.

Jack then moved forward with his hands up, ready to strike, she backed up and found herself cornered. He was getting closer now, her fingers were twitching with fright, she tried to avoid contact with his eyes, as his shadow passed over her. Then in one motion she dropped on all fours like a cat and slunk between his legs and bolted out the door. "Shit!" Jack exclaimed. Then he followed.

Catrina took off down the corridor, not quite believing such a cliche move had worked. She noticed the rest of the ship was rusted and rotten, apart from the room she just ran from. She turned into another corridor, and ran through some double doors, which fell off their hitches as soon as she touched them. Catrina had reached what looked like a reception area, just as she was approached the desk, she skid across the floor on some water, and slammed into a giant fish tank. Her head collided with the glass, then she slid to the floor, she groaned as she got up. "I'll murder the son -of -a -bitch who invented glass."

Slightly dazed and panicked, she dragged herself up and she continued running, panting heavily as she did. She slowed down as she noticed someone dusting off their hat in the corner of the room. Catrina ran across toward them. "Excuse me...can you please help me...there's a man after me!" The man just stood the staring at her blankly, then he put on his hat.

"If he's after you, you can't be helped." He then passed through a wall on his right side. Catrina backed up shaking her head "No...no...no.." She hit something solid, she spun around meeting Jack's hypnotic gaze, she screamed in surprise as he enveloped her around the waist. "Don't fight it Catrina, accept it." Her breathing was fast and it came out as tiny whimpers.

"Gotta...gotta get out...away...now." She sighed in panic, as she fought against him, with no prevail.

She then raised her foot, and brought her heel down hard on Jack's foot, he yelped and released her, she took the chance and ran onto the outside decking.

Jack couldn't help but grin devilishly, on the inside he was positively enjoying himself, he liked the fear he saw in her eyes, which was sometimes corrupted by her spirited determination to try and show how strong she was. He walked slowly outside, he saw her pacing with worry, her wavy brown hair blowing in the wind.

"Look around you Cat, a hundred miles of sea on every side, not another boat in site, plan your escape!"

Catrina closed her eyes as she turned around to face his handsome humoured face, which had a trance of danger in it, she tried hard to bring her cool to the surface, she looked out at the sea again.

Jack continued. "And you know what?...I was the guy that brought the gold on the ship!" Catrina spun around and looked at him shocked.

"The crew didn't kill all the passengers...I did the rest...and I was the one who killed the crew afterwards!" Catrina took a step back, her face riddled with fear. The wind constantly blew cold and wildly around them.

"And you know what else Catrina?...That deal which involved you... I made it with your mum!" Jack smiled with triumph, then his face dropped slightly as he filled up with regret as he looked at her face. Her fearful face was gone, and it was now blank, but he could just make out the corners of her green eyes were welling up with tears. The next thing he knew she ran past, with the back of her hand at her mouth.

* * *

Just a few minutes earlier at Boston...

Dodge sat there with his wife at the counter, their faces reddened by stale tears, sick with worry. Dodge was baffled, he didn't know where to look for his child. Maureen was rocking like a mad woman on the stool, rubbing her hands together. Then she stood up and walked up stairs, she reached her daughter's room and pushed open the door, with a false hope that Catrina would be curled up sleeping in her bed- but she wasn't, the room was empty, dark, and cold. Maureen sat on the edge of the bed, she reached for one of her daughter's teddies which was propped up against the pillow, and she sat rubbing it's belly with her thump. She prayed her daughter was still alive, and not suffering. Suddenly she felt a great amount of guilt hit her in the chest, then she almost heard her daughters cry of distress, she had an eerie feeling of being betrayed, and from that moment she knew her daughter knew about the deal.

"I'm sorry baby!" She sobbed, as she fell sideways onto the bed.


	5. The way you look at me

Maureen lay on her daughters bed all night, her red eyes were wide open in disbelief. She heard her husband pacing downstairs, his feet padded on the rough carpet. Maureen's eyes wondered about the room, everything was where it should be...except for the drawing pad which was missing, she looked about the room seeing no sign of it. She thought 'Maybe she took it with her when she was...' Maureen was overcome with sadness, her lip quivered as she put her palms to her eyes. She thought about if her daughter was opening her eyes from a nice slumber, or from a night of terror.

* * *

Antonio Graza...

Catrina's eyes darted open, and her emerald orbs came into focus. The sunlight shone through the porthole and bleared across her pale skin, she shuffled her legs slightly under the silk covers. Her hands which were curled up and bent on either side of her head, twitched slightly as she adjusted to the warmth of the room.

She suddenly remembered where she was and groaned irritably. Her surroundings were different from last night, she remembered after she fled from Jack, crying her eyes up, she ran to the very damp bottom of the ship, and locked herself in the mail room, where she fell asleep in a pile of unread letters. She guessed someone must of carried her up. Catrina shivered as she imagined either Jack or one of those perverted men...man handling her while she was asleep.

'I have to get off this ship.' She thought, she then yawned and turned a little, nuzzling her head into the soft pillow, her eyes drifted close. Catrina then briskly sat up, and looked about the room. 'Empty'.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and pulled herself up, and rushed over to the door. Catrina poked her head out the door, and looked down the deserted corridor. This was her chance, she didn't have much of an escape plan, but if she could just quietly make her way up to the decking, she could make a raft out of bits and pieces, or start a fire, to make smoke signals.

Catrina made her way into the corridor, and she closed the door, with her back firmly pressed against the wall, her hair flipped into her face as she moved her head side to side to look along the corridor. "Come on Jack where are you?" She whispered, beginning to slide across the wall down the corridor. She stood still...silence. 'Why would Jack leave me unsupervised?' She broke into a steady run, every corner she came to, she would peer around and prepare to run in the opposite direction, but she never did run in the other direction, the halls were empty.

Her tights kept threading, so she stopped and tore them off, her legs were now bare, apart from her knee length skirt. She looked up suddenly when she heard voices bouncing off the walls ahead of her, a group of ghostly figures deep in conversation turned into the hall she was in, she stood transfixed. They abruptly stopped when they saw Catrina standing there looking at them curiously. They hastily walked around her, Catrina kept her eye on them.

One of them mumbled to the other. "Is that who I think it is?"

"-Yeah...Jack's new pet...and such a pretty little thing she is."

"Hm yeah...Poor girl, doesn't have a clue."

She stood there dumbfounded as they disappeared around a corner. Catrina continued down the corridor. 'Oh god not more ghosts...am I turning into a freaking spiritual medium?' She thought as she headed through a door less, doorway into the reception hall. The sun shone brightly through every glassless window. Her eyes travelled over to the lounge area, where a group of middle aged women sat fussing over a heap of red fabric on the coffee table. She cautiously made her way over, and stopped a few metres away. She noticed they all were wearing dated clothes, she didn't know what time period. A frumpy looking woman looked at her over her glasses, and coughed to get the others to look up. They all turned and stared wide-eyed at her.

"Err...hi!" Catrina said, she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"My dear, are you allowed out of your room?" The frumpy woman asked, lowering her glasses so they were hanging on a chain around her neck.

"No I don't think so...but I'm already out now so I mires well stay out." She replied, sitting on a scruffy couch next to them.

"Do you think that's very wise?"

"I do actually." The women looked at her wearily.

Catrina looked off to the side shyly, she scratched her arm. "Erm...where's Jack exactly?"

They looked at her as if she had said a swear word. A woman in a flowered suit broke the silence. "He's out patrolling dear."

Catrina relaxed slightly and slumped back into the chair. "Is he patrolling around the boat?"

"Err...no, he's in land."

"-You mean he's got a boat which brings him there and back!" Catrina jumped up hopefully.

The middle aged women looked astounded at her. "Honey, do you know what Jack is?" A lady in a green summer dress questioned.

Catrina's happy face dissolved into a puzzled one. "I know he's a murdering little-"

Catrina watched the ladies suddenly disappear in front of her. She swallowed and turned around expecting to see Jack looking down at her, but it wasn't, instead she saw I woman in a red evening dress, holding a cigarette walking towards her.

"Are you Catreena, si?" She spoke with an Italian accent.

"Erm...yes?" Catrina answered, feeling a little cold.

"Come with me." The woman in red turned and swayed her hips as she walked away. "Are you coming all nota?" She paused.  
"Are you another ghost?"

"It all depends on if you'll run away screaming if I say so?" She took a drag from her cigarette and pouted her lips, as she held her slinky posture in the doorway.

"How can I trust you?...You don't exactly have much of a hallow above you head."

"-Look kid, all I'm here to do is keep yous away from the ozers and stop you doing something stupido." The woman unexpectedly disappeared and reappeared behind Catrina. "So that means go back to your room." Catrina jumped and twizzled round.

"And if I don't."

"Jack won't be happy."

Catrina folded her arms "Why should I care, he's not here... is he?"

"No...but he will be soon, and I will be in a lot of trouble if your not in your room." The woman began nudging her towards the doorway, a cold draft blew up Catrina's back.

Catrina stood her ground, and spun around to face her. "Why are you helping him, you don't have to take orders from him, he won't hurt you...your already dead, and-and another thing how can he get there and back that quickly, he has no boat or helicopter, does he!"

The woman had a dangerous look about her as she smiled. "You know too little...you don't know what he's capable of do you...I'm guessing Jack hasn't told you much about himself." The woman walked around to the front of her, and puffed smoke in her face, Catrina recoiled, wafting it away.

"He can hurt ghosts now can he?"

"He torments our very souls...so we have to follow him."

Catrina cocked her eyebrows. "What!" Then she backed away. "Who's we...all the ghosts on this ship? How can he keep you here?...Does he need to be brought to justice or something, before you can rest in peace!"

The Lady in red opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again, she stiffened and looked about her. Catrina watched nervously. The woman turned around. "He's coming." She vanished.

Catrina hurried outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of her escape transport. Nothing came. She suddenly felt the need to find a weapon and a decent hiding place. She glanced at the debris scatted near her feet, and she reached down and picked up a rotten chair-leg, after further inspection, she tossed it over her shoulder. Catrina made her way indoors, nothing remotely threatening lay about. She made her way into the hall, then she saw a door marked 'Cucina/ Kitchen' She scrambled inside.

The entire floor was cluttered with rusty pots and pans, and the counters were covered with mould. Catrina opened a nearby draw, and peered inside.

"Muffin cups...oooo dangerous." She mumbled sarcastically.

She kneeled to open the cupboards, she screamed and jumped back when a couple of rats scurried out. 'Shit! He's bound to hear that.' she thought as she journeyed deeper into the kitchen. She came across a draw that had dry blood marks on it. She opened it, and with a bit of luck she came across a razor sharp carving knife. Catrina smiled victoriously as she pulled it out, it glinted in the dim light. She twirled it in her fingers to marvel at the blade, when it reached a certain angle - she caught a reflection of somebody standing behind her - just before she could jump around and squeal -

The person behind her had pinned her with their hips against the counter, and their hands had seized both of her hands, one of them still clutched the knife. The smell of peppermint reached her nostrils.

"If I'm not mistaken, I would think you were intending on harming someone with that knife you got there, precious." Jack's silky voice whispered, Catrina shivered as his warm soft lips tickled her ear.

She still gripped tightly to the knife handle, not willing to let go. Jack's hands were ice cold, and were slowly warming up.

"Drop the knife." He commanded in a mocking tone. Catrina's body was beginning to ache, her legs were losing circulation due to the pressure Jack had on her hips, but she still held the knife firmly in her grasp. She shook with fear, anger...and a little of something else as she stood there.

"Drop it or I'll get frisky with you." Catrina eyes widened with surprise. He squeezed her wrist, and her fingers slowly opened, and the blade slipped out of hand and clattered on the counter.

"There's a good girl." He kissed the back of her head. She gasped as he yanked her arms behind her back as if he were arresting her. "Now let me take you back to your room." He forcefully guided her out of the kitchen, with her digging her heels into the floor, which didn't help at all, it just burned.

"Let go of me you murdering bastard!" She screeched, she managed to release one of her hands, and grab hold of a bar attached to a mirrored wall. His face held on a serious expression, but his eyes showed he was humoured, as he tugged on her arm, realising she was attached to something. He began prizing her hand from the railing finger by finger. Then he wrapped his strong arms around the slim of her waist and lifted her away from the bars, with her kicking out forcefully. Boy...she wasn't gonna make it easy.

Catrina tried to fling her head back, to head-butt him, but all he got was a face full of hair, Jack smirked. He then put her down, and spun her around so she was facing him, before she could say another word, he lifted her and through her over his shoulder. A few seconds she went quiet, then she returned to screaming the ship down. Various ghostly heads popped out of walls to see what was the matter, but soon as they saw Jack they dodged out of sight. He turned into another corridor, the same two ghosts that were in deep conversation earlier, turned into the same corridor, and immediately walked backwards when their eyes locked with Jack's. He approached the room, and kicked the door open, and strode inside.

Jack leaned forward to allow Catrina to slide off him, she had stopped screaming, her throat was soar. She looked up at him, with her messy hair, and flushed face, Jack smiled at her appearance, which was soon wiped off as she slapped him hard across the face. His head remained tilted to one side for a few seconds, then he looked up with pursed lips and a dangerous look in his eye. Catrina relentlessly coward from him.

"You better start treating me with more respect, or mark my words you'll regret doing that?" Even though he was seething with anger, he was also feeling another sensation inside him.

Catrina's green eyes locked with his pale blues, his anger washed away. "I'll treat you with more respect, if you let me go home."

"That's not your choice."

She sucked in her lips and release them again, leaving them wet and shiny. "Well you could stop man handling me for a start, and let me have some freedom on this ship..." She began to whisper slightly near the end, and she averted her eyes to the floor.

"I can do that." His voice had got terribly quiet, and he began to edge closer to her.

"I'm not finished yet." She said, looking up slightly. "I also want you to stop looking at me like that."

Jack was about to say 'Like what!' But he didn't, he already knew, and he backed out of the room, and closed the door. He walked down the corridor feeling slightly agitated, his trousers felt slightly tight.

* * *

Maureen and Dodge lay on their bed. The sun shining down on their clammy skin. Maureen closed her eyes for a few seconds, she suddenly had a vivid image which seemed to being playing in slow motion, of her daughter kicking and screaming, being carried mercilessly to a bedroom- Maureen's eyes flew open. It had occurred to her many times 'what would a 24 year-old man do with a 18 year-old girl?' She swallowed and sat up. Dodge looked at her sadly. "Honey you okay?"

Her eyes rounded, she turned towards him grabbing his arm. "He must of taken her to the Antonio Graza...Come on!" She jumped up, and ran towards the phone.

Dodge looked at her with a realising look, the he turned to her. "What are you doing?"

His wife spun around, holding the phone with her shoulder and ear, dialling. "I'm getting the guys together."


	6. Bedknobs and incubus's

"Maureen this is nuts, we can't just go to the Antonia Graza, we don't know where to find it!" Dodge's eyes followed Maureen across the room and back as she paced.

"We could start looking from where we saw it last...in the Bering sea?"

"The ship was fixed, it could have travelled anywhere by now!"

"-We could at least try Mike, have some faith...jeeze it's like you not even interested in finding your own daughter!"

Dodge jumped up. "Don't you ever say that I don't care for my daughter, I just think we should inform the authorities, they might give a nation wide search party!"

"A nation wide search party? They won't do that, anyway this is between us and Jack, the authorities won't believe that a man who is a servant of the devil kidnapped our daughter, and is now imprisoning her on a ship which supposed to have sunk over 50 years ago, I mean come to think of it I don't believe it, but I know for a fact it's true, so I'm gonna go out myself and find her." Maureen took a breath.

Dodge sighed, and sat down on the bed. "When we do come up against Jack, what are we supposed to do?... Command him to give us our daughter back, because he won't without a fight?"

"-What do you suggest, we form a demon slaying cult, or look up some serious demon-ass kicking voodoo?"

He looked up at his wife, his eyes rounded. "That's not quite a bad idea."

Maureen cocked her eyebrow. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, we could research it on the net, or in the library, and I'm sure there must be some spiritual people out there that must of heard of 'the soul collector'?" Maureen considered it to be a good starting point, and nodded.

Antonio Graza...

Catrina stood there staring after Jack who had just backed out of the room. When she sensed his presence was gone, she placed a hand on her chest, her heart was banging hard against her rib cage. She sighed as her breath caught up with her. Jack's very essence had stirred her very soul, even though she loathed him with passion, there was something about him that was overpowering, and made her knees buckle at the sight of him or his slightest touch. When she looked into his eyes she could see a deep desire which frightened her. She mentally slapped herself for feeling and thinking such a thing. Catrina then decided to take out her frustration on the things around her, she picked up a vase and through it at the mirror on the dressing table.

Jack strode down the corridor, soon as he entered his room he kicked a chair and sent it flying into the wall opposite, it splintered instantly. He was near the edge of his tether, he had actually agreed on a last deal before leaving a room, and he had walked out of a room without even considering satisfying himself. It then dawned on him; he was becoming infatuated with Catrina and he wasn't sure if he liked it, it corrupted him. Jack ran his fingers through his hair, to calm himself, then an evil smile spread on his face, a little voice in his head spoke.

'You don't have to like it, it's called lust, when it hits you, you make a grab for the opportunity, and the person doesn't have to want it as well, you could force yourself on them.'

He embraced himself as he felt his old self returning. Suddenly he felt the other side of him, he began to shake his head. 'Never Jack, that's rape.'

'-Why should you care!'

'-I don't care...I just don't think I have to have sex to satisfy my needs, I'm not an incubus!'

'But you will be someday...'

'Don't be pathetic...when I've filled my quota I'll throw a party in limbo and get promoted-'

'-You will automatically become an Incubus.'

'GO TO HELL...-...Gladly, wait I'm you sooo... if I go back...you'll have to come with me.'

Jack took his coat off and let it slip to the floor, putting an end to the conversation with himself. He cracked his neck, and exited the room, it was time to check on Catrina.

(Can't you just imagine the jaws theme tune playing right now)

Down the corridor...

Catrina stood clutching her torn pillow in the middle of a cluttered room, her hair was a disarray and it looked like she had been rolling around in a chicken coop, for her hair wasn't just sticking up at different angles, it was speckled with pillow feathers. She panted heavily, as she glared about her. The silk sheets were ripped down the middle, and the frame of the bed itself was on it's side. Catrina heard the turning of a door handle behind her, and she lobbed the remains of her pillow in that direction. Shecouldn't help but smile at Jack's stunned expression as the pillow bounced off his chest. She went back to her serious calm look when she remembered why she had became frustrated.

"What the fuck has happened in here!" He exclaimed, putting on his scary face.

"Oh...I was just showing the place how much I loved it!" She said sarcastically, folding her arms.

Jack approached her slowly, stepping on bits of broken mirror to get to her. He smirked as a flicker of fear passed across her face . 'Damn she looks hot with sex hair!' He thought, he noticed Catrina cautiously edging away.

He began to pick out the feathers from her blondie brown locks. "You do realise if you've damaged your bed, you'll have to come and sleep with me." She jumped back, appalled at his statement.

"The bed's not damaged it's just messed up and I can easily tidy that up!"

"What about the sheets and the pillow?"

"I can sleep without them!" Catrina scowled.

Jack put on a fake hurt look. "That's a shame, we could have snuggled up real close." He speedily enclosed his arms around her arms and pulled her in close, she struggled against him, bashing her arms against his shirt.

"Let go of me...we had a deal!" Her voice got muffled as he pushed her head further into his chest.  
"Oh don't worry this isn't man handling it's called an affectionate embrace."

"No it's not...now let go you're suffocating me!" Catrina gasped in panic. He let go immediately and she leaped back into the dressing table. "Ow fuck!"

Jack wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Is that a request?"

"No...go to hell would be a request!" She said through clenched teeth, rubbing her back in pain.

"Oh how little you know.. my sweet." Jack took a step towards her, wetting his lips.

She narrowed her eyes. "Stop looking at me like that!" She said it as an order, and surprisingly he stopped, his face mellowed into an innocent face, and he pursed his lips, and looked off to the side. She could tell by the way his cheek bulged out, that he was gritting his teeth.

Jack left the room mumbling. 'You'll want me before tomorrow's out."

Catrina's head remained facing the place where Jack once stood. She put her hand to her now flushed cheek. She had never felt so uncomfortable in her life, it was kind of an arousing uncomfortable feeling. Catrina rubbed between her eyebrows. 'What...was he somehow forcing me to make the first move?' She thought.

At the top deck...

Francesca filed her nails, while leaning on the railings. She looked up when she felt a twinge in her hand. Jack walked over to her. "I want a word with you?" He said nastily, cracking his knuckles.

Francesca looked nervously at him. "Is this to do with Catreena?"

"Yes, it is actually...why wasn't she in her room when I got back?" He put hands either side of her on the railings, leaning towards her face.

"I tried but she was not listening to me.. I tried to move her, but she wouldn't budge, and she started asking questions!"

"Questions-" He tipped his head innocently. "You didn't give her answers did you!" He grabbed hold of her throat, Francesca looked taken aback.

"I-I-I didn't know what to say, so allz I said was you tormented our very souls." Francesca whimpered slightly as he tightened his grip on her deathly cold throat. "But-she d-d-doesn't know, she just thinks it's a...it's a, figure of speech."

Jack released her and she rubbed her neck, still trying to figure out how he managed to do that. "Has she asked the date of your death?"

Francesca recapped with remorse. "No, but she did ask how you got to land and back so quickly?"

"And how the hell did she know I was inland?"

"I don't know...one of the ozers must of told her!" Jack began to click his teeth together as he paced the deck. "Jack, why are you worried about tellings her? I'm sure if you told her she would never want to disobey you again"

Jack continued pacing, he would have told her, but there was a slight chance of her running around cowering from him. 'Why should I care?...I want her to fear me' He then paused. 'Or do I?' He then considered if he really had started to develop feelings for her, then he shook it off. 'It's not love...it's non-affectionate, animalistic lust.' He nodded in agreement with himself, and turned towards the Italian woman.

"Because my dear, she might get worse than she is now, and jump off board in terror, anyway I'd like to have a bit a fun with her first."

"Why not chain her to the bed, tell her, then have your fun with her?" She went back to filing her nails. "It's not like you haven't done it before?"

Francesca hurtled back, as Jack wagged his finger at her. "I told you not to mention that." He turned his back on her considering it with relish, then he shrugged his shoulders, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

He folded his arms and turned towards her. "Francesca...how would you get someone that doesn't like you, to have sex with you?"

"Willingly?"

"Yeah."

"Well the only way to do that is to get the person to like you."

"There's got to be an easier way, a quicker way." His pale blue eyes drifted to the corners.

Francesca slunk up to Jack, placed both hands on his shoulders and leaned into him. "There is lust, lust can be created even when there's hate present." Jack gave off a devilish smile, as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Jack's lips were centimetres away from hers. "What you mean like how your feeling right now?"

"Ci, you need to stir her senses."

"Oh but her senses are hard to stir, what do you suggest?"

Francesca turned her back on him, and slipped her gloves on. "You won't need to stir her senses... she just needs to see you stirring."

Jack smiled evilly as they walked along the deck, a plan had began to foil in his mischievous brain.

"So are you going to get started?" Francesca interjected.

"No not yet, I think I'll just hang around with her for a bit, real gentleman like." Jack shoved his hands into his pocket and de-materialized, as Francesca passed through a wall.

Dodge made his way up the stairs with a cup of coffee in his hand, he approached Maureen's and his room, and pushed the door ajar. As soon as it opened 4 inches the door immediately slowed down and began to knock over stacks of paper. He poked his head around the door, the room was entirely cluttered with papers and leaflets, it was that bad, not a single piece of carpet or furniture could be seen.

"Err...honey? I brought you some coffee." Mike called. Maureen's head appeared over the top of an over piled stack.

"Oh thanks!" She said gratefully. "Bring it in."

Mike looked about him, as he pushed the door half way, which caused 3 piles to topple over. "You've got to be kidding me?"

He tried his best not to step on stuff as he approached Maureen, but something always crumpled under his feet. He handed her the cup. "Have you got anything?"

"Surprisingly...yes." She put her coffee down after taking a small sip. "All demons can appear in human form and most demons collect souls to gain more power, there are many types which rely on souls, but have entirely different powers...like err...this one. "Maureen grabs a random bit of paper and hands it to Dodge.

"A Capito demon, is a demon which can create fantastic illusions that can fool all the 5 senses. Depending on the degree of powers, now that's definitely Jack!" He hands her back the paper.

"Ah-but the thing is, Jack has more than one power, so he could be a Cedo."

"-Cedo?"

"A demon which can change or shape shift." Maureen stated rather perplex. Dodge stared at her blankly. "Then there's the Escensio...a teleport, but it says here it can't travel over open water using it's power, which is confusing, so I think he is an Eleskron which is similar to an Escensio but doesn't have to see where there going, and can travel over water."

"-Maureen, as much as I would love to go over the whole demon encyclopaedia, we only really need to find out one thing...which is how to kill it." Mike interrupted.

Maureen began to sift through the papers again. "I was just getting to that, if I keep finding more species of demons, the harder it's going to be to find a way to kill them." Maureen tapped a pile on it's side on the floor to neaten it. "Have you found anything?"

"Yes, it occurred to me he might not be a demon, but a human being possessed by a demon, so I researched exorcism."

"Yer what!"

"Exorcism, you know removing evil spirits from a person by driving it out using the power of god."

"-I know what exorcism means, but I don't think it applies to Jack." Maureen stood up, and folded her arms. "So that's all you've got?"

"No, I've got a list of demons I need to go through." Dodge put on his reading glasses, his wife couldn't help but smirk.

"Hit me."

Dodge went through the whole list, pausing when Maureen asked what they did. "What the hell is a Incubus?"

"You don't wanna know" He mumbled in reply.

"I think you'll find that I do." Maureen made a grab for the piece of paper, but her husband pulled it out of her reach. "Mike, if that piece of paper has the right definition to fit Jack, it will be the answer to all of our prayers, now gimme!" She gleefully snatched the paper out of his hand, and skim read it. Dodge looked nervously at her, by the time Maureen had finished reading the page she had the look of horror on her face. She sank down on the bed. "The demon itself feeds off sexual energy, mainly given off during sexual intercourse." Her hand holding the paper, fell to her lap.

Dodge sat down, placing an arm around her. "Maureen...listen to me, I don't think Jack's an incubus, if he was, he would of been draining us on the arctic warrior years ago...I was lusting after you then, you know?" Maureen nodded, with a red tint in her cheeks.

"Incubus or not I don't want him anywhere near my baby, he'll still harm her in someway or another." Her voice was calm. "I just want to get to her as soon as possible Mike."

Her husband shook her affectionately and kissed her on the forehead. "We will, I think we should fly to Alaska, then hire a boat, 'cause I don't want to sail all the way there...it'll take too long."

Maureen nodded, she reached her hand up to Dodge's, which was rested on her shoulder. "I just hope Dad will be okay to go, I know he has the mind of a younger man, but he hasn't got a body like he used to."

Catrina lay in bed, with the torn covers pulled up to her chest, her stomach groaned with hunger. She tossed and turned until she drifted asleep. As soon as Catrina closed her eyelids, she saw that she was standing outside her primary school. She scratched her head in confusion. Catrina looked to the side, and saw her friend Emma talking to her, but her lips were moving speedily as if someone had pressed a fast forward button, she couldn't hear a word she was saying, all she heard was garbled squeaks. Catrina opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She started to hear her loud intake of breath, and her heart beat which was very rapid, the sound chilled her to the bone. Children around her were hurriedly walking by, on their way home.

The atmosphere suddenly went cold, everybody froze instantly in their positions. Catrina stared blankly at them, then she saw movement across the street. Her eyes locked with none-other than Jack's, his alien eyes narrowed evilly as he waved. She had never realised before...that Jack still looked the same as he did when he first started storking her when she was young, since it had been many years ago, she never had reflected on it. 'What the hell!' she finally thought. The place began to dissolve, it transformed into a garden littered with autumn leaves. Her bum met a bench, and her feet automatically shuffled some leaves. Catrina suddenly remembered feeling trapped and alone at the time. She heard her mum talking about her in the house a few yards away. She started to remember the creepy moments. Catrina continued to sit quietly, she shivered as she felt a hand caresses her cheek and tuck a strand of her behind her ear, she could hear Jack's silky voice whispering a disturbing song in her ear.

"Cradle falls, unholy walls Cradle falls...

-Silent in my sanity I live safe inside my cell In the darkness that surrounds me I see my own special hell Comfort in my suffering Feeling warm inside this pain Before I was coming down on me I come on down again."

She remembered almost every word. She didn't want to think back to any more. Catrina struggled to pull herself out of her dream. Her hair fanned out across the pillow as she turned in bed, not knowing Jack was lying next to her, stroking her hair, his lips gently brushed against her ear.

please r&r 


	7. Totally unwanted

Things get a little more interesting somewhere in the middle, but it's still a good start.

Catrina woke with a start, she felt the other side of the bed, her fingers made contact with a warmness on the sheets, she shivered slightly. Catrina used her remaining strength in her to push herself up, and lean against the headboard. Her eyes levelled with the person sitting on the trunk at the end of the bed, Jack was smiling pleasantly at her. Catrina mistaken it for some-sort of a twisted kindness, and tugged the silk duvet upwards to cover her top half, even though it was fully clothed.

"What do you want, to maul me again?" Catrina was surprised at her own calmness in her voice.

Jack's coat rustled a little as he cautiously stood up and made his way around to her, she eyed him suspiciously as he settled down next to her. "I just dropped in to wish you good morning." He said innocently, he was quite a distance away from her, as if he were shy.

She gapped at him, and then returned to her suspicious gaze. "That's it...no precious, or sweetie or touch up?"

"Why would I do that?" He said sheepishly, his lips parted slightly exposing his two incisors.

She narrowed her eyes, and hastily slid out of bed on the opposite side of him, she remained facing him as she slowly backed towards the door. "I'm just going to nip out for a walk." He nodded, she stared wide eyed at him, and rushed out into the corridor. Her bare feet padded along the rough carpeting, as she trotted towards the kitchen. She banged the door open, and rummaged through the cupboards. All she came across was cans of rat poison which were in the same place as the tinned baked beans, which was very disturbing. Catrina was startled by a voice behind her.

"Hungry?" She turned towards Jack who was leaning against a counter behind her.

She nervously scratched her arm "Erm yeah...I haven't eaten in days."

Jack brought something from behind him on the counter top, it was a Chinese take-out noodle box. He said nothing as he waved it by its handle, in front of her, she grabbed it as soon as she got a waft of the sweet and sour sauce. "Err...thanks?" She turned her back on him, and began to devour the noodles with her bear fingers. Jack smiled evilly, his eyes dropped to her slim waist, then to her ass, then his eyes dropped down her slender legs. Catrina turned and noticed him jump as if he had be caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing. Realising she must look a right state, she wiped her lips with the back of her hand, slightly embarrassed.

"You don't have to follow me around?" She walked by him. 'Maybe he's finally going with the deal?' she thought as she made her way through the door and towards the decking.

Jack's gaze followed her until the doors flapped shut, he tugged at the top of his shirt, wafting it about his neck. "God it's hot in here." He muttered.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Maureen knocked the knocker against a grand oak door. As she waited, she took an interest at a pentagram wind chime which was hanging above her head. She prepared her pleasant smile, as she heard the sound of catches being undone, the door opened, and out poked a youngish man's head, he looked no older than 20.

"Err...hi, I'm Maureen I called about the..." She dropped her voice. "The night world cult."

The man opened the door wider, and pulled her inside, checking for passer-byers as he closed he door. "I-I was told you could-" She started, but he pressed a finger to his lips to hush her.

"Shush." He whispered. "The neighbours press their ears to the walls...now follow me"

As they passed the living room, Maureen noticed a séance was being conducted. They continued down the corridor towards a small door in between the kitchen and the dining room, the smell of sulphur filled the air. He pushed the small door open and walked down a darkened stairway, Maureen followed uneasily, and was soon in a room lit by candle light. There were 5 others in the room, apart from the man and her. They were all seated on small three legged stools in a semi-circle. A woman looked up at their new visitor. "You are Maureen, and you wish to ask me something." She said huskily, her bright brown eyes glowed in the candle light. The man smiled encouragingly at Maureen and wondered back upstairs, leaving her alone.

"Yes...I asked if you know a way to kill a demon." Maureen kept near the stairs with her back to the wall.

"We will tell you know more until we know you mean business." Maureen listened intently. "If you wish to freak out, then just turn around and leave my house. But If you want to know what you came here for, step closer."

Maureen hesitated, but gradually moved closer to the semi-circle. "I love my daughter, and I'll do anything to get her back, even if it means diving into something that I always found hard to believe."

The stool creaked as the woman stood up, she was surprisingly small for the depth of her voice. "And do you believe?"

Epps stood for a moment. "I do, because I have witnessed unbelievable things in my life."

"And you think just because your daughter's vanished off the face of the earth, means a demon must of taken her?"

"I don't think,...I know, and my daughter hasn't disappeared off the face of the earth, she is still here and I know where...sort of!" Maureen began to raise her voice. "All I want to know is how to kill it."

All eyes in the room were upon her.

"I know who took her, but I'm still not quite sure what he is...a cedo, a capito, maybe even an Incubus?" Maureen heard a couple of them gasp. "But I know for sure he is a soul collector."

The rest of the group burst into whispers. The woman raised her hand to silence them. "A soul collector you say, that is a little out of our league."

"You mean you can't help me?" She folded her arms in irritation.

"I didn't say that, it's just we've never been asked how to destroy one of there kind before."

"-And why is that, surely someone must have been bothered by one, or realised how dangerous it must be to come across one?" Maureen eyes glanced at the others in the room, who were all looking at each other wearily.

"Maureen, soul collectors don't bother people at random, and anyone who has ever came across a soul collector ends up dead. I just don't see why 'one' would take your daughter. Even if one had?...I wouldn't hold much hope for her."

"She's not dead if that's what you mean?... I can still feel her. And guess what...I've met one, and I'm not dead...and I don't fear it." Maureen walked closer to the semi-circle.

"Then you are very very lucky or..." The woman then indicated to another member to fetch something, the person walked to the other side of the room, to rummage around. The woman sighed as she closed her eyes, she opened them again to look at Maureen. "I'm guessing he took your daughter in your stead."

Epps looked down with guilt. "That would be correct."

The woman closed her eyes again. "You made a deal with him before she was conceived."

Maureen nodded slowly, she noticed all the others were looking at her curiously. "I was young and stupid, I was hoping he would forget...I, I just wanted to see my family again." Dry tears began to well up in her eyes, she sniffed them back.

"You were foolish." The woman said simply, her eyes still closed. The other member returned , and approached Maureen on her right side, he was starting to open a jar.

The woman took a sharp intake of breath, and then the candles began to flicker about the room. Maureen looked about her at the others, as if asking. 'Err...what the hell is going on?' They were obviously confused as her. The woman began to shake.

She then cracked her neck to the side, and spoke in a strained voice. "Years from now Maureen, when you've settled down in a nice cosy little house, with a nice husband, you got a nice little family of your own building up...you must let me take your first child." She smiled evilly, her neck rolling from side to side. Maureen gapped, while the others stared wide-eyed at her. "You know perfectly well I can't die, Maureen." The woman's eyes darted open, they were bright blue. Her head straightened to look at Maureen full on, the atmosphere was cold.

Maureen shivered. "Jack...what have you done with my daughter?"

The woman's voice remained her own except it was croaky, and staggered. "How did I get here?" She looked about her confused.

"What have you done with my daughter!" Maureen repeated starting to get annoyed.

Jack's eyes darted back to hers, and held them in a hypnotic gaze. "Your one nosy little bitch aren't you?" The woman jerked her head to the side. The group were standing as still as statues.

"I want her back now, Jack."

"Whom... the woman, or your daughter?" The woman's mouth tugged into a sneer..

"Catrina of course...she doesn't belong to you!"

"Oh well that's where your wrong Maureen...we had a bargain, she's mine and there's nothing you can do about it, that's unless you want me to take back all of your friends and family."

"-You know perfectly well I can't let you do that!" Maureen seethed with anger, as she clenched her fists.

One of the three members behind the woman whispered to another. "What's causing this?...What should we do?"

"-I...I dunno, this has never happened before, and we're not even doing a seance." One said in panic.

Maureen at that moment wanted to flee from Jack's sight, but she felt like she was nailed to the spot. "I've given you a lot Jack, you don't need anything of mine!"

"We had a deal, anyway I can't give her back now...I've grown quite attached to her." Jack said mockingly, a smile curled on the woman's lips.

Maureen gritted her teeth. "-You stay away from her!"

"I can't just stay away from her, I do need to keep her where she is after all."

"I want to see her now!" Maureen bellowed out, a surge of sadness hit her, as she felt she was slowly being defeated.

Suddenly the man standing next to her looked to the floor, a look of realisation passed across his face, he then looked up at the others, and yelled. "We're forming a pentagram, jump out now!" Almost immediately after he said this, all the others in the group darted out of there positions. Maureen watched horror struck as the woman snapped her head back and erupted a deafening screech, her back arched as a gush of wind spiralled around the room and shot upstairs, the woman crumpled to the floor motionless.

"Why'd you do that for I could of found out more?" Epps exclaimed, as the group ran to attend their fallen leader, the man looked like he was very close to her. "So how do you plan on helping me!"

The man turned to Maureen, looking at her with annoyance. "Did you hear me...what are you going to do!" She repeated, taking a step towards them, from the moment she did - The man jumped back, reached into the open jar he was holding, and sprinkled a line of salt across the floor.

"Stay back, I don't know what you are...but what ever you are, you were the one that brought that negative energy in here!" The others had carried their leader to a chair in the corner, and had made their way behind the man.

"But I didn't mean to...all I did was come for answers to get rid of my demons." Maureen was appalled at being blamed for something that wasn't her fault. She strode over their carefully laid out line of salt, they instantly backed away. "That energy as you called it' I didn't bring it, it must have followed me, and I'm not letting you blame me for this!"

"-GET OUT!" The man yelled starting to chuck salt in her direction.

"GLADLY!" She stormed upstairs, the man which had let her in the house was lighting some candles in the corridor, and he jumped in surprise as Maureen strode angrily by him.

"Excuse me...err...are you alright?"

Maureen stopped in mid-step, and spun around. "Alright...alright!...No I'm not alright, I came here for answers, and what do I get...a possessed witch and a wrong accusation from a salt slinging cult!" Maureen retched the door open and stalked outside.

After she had briskly walked up the path, she turned onto the main pavement and began walking the long way home, the breeze blew hard in her face, and felt she was not alone. Epps suddenly heard someone calling in the distance, she remorsefully turned around to see the man she had yelled at, running to catch her up. He reached her puffing and panting. "I, I apologise for chasing you up like this, but, but I just want to ask...do I know you from somewhere?"

Maureen's face softened, as she blanked out. "Erm...no, I don't think so?"

"- 'Cause I recognise you, your name is Maureen right?" She nodded at his question. "That wouldn't be Maureen Dodge would it?"

"Err...yes?" She replied slightly suspicious. "Do I know you?"

"I'm sorry...you see I've been dying to meet you, I'm Robert...Catrina's boyfriend." He stuck his hand out, Maureen shook it still baffled, then she smiled at his half smile.

"Robert...I was wondering when I was finally going to meet you, sorry about earlier...erm...do you live in that house?" She scratched her ear in question.

"Err...yes unfortunately, the whole cult thing is kind of a family business, all except for my mum, she absolutely hates it. My Dad holds seances in the living room, and my aunt has a club in the basement." He coughed slightly when he mentioned his aunt.

"Your aunt, that possessed witch?"

"-She's not my favourite aunt, did she really get possessed?"

"Yes...but it doesn't matter, Okay then...I'll see you around." She began to rush off in the other direction, trying to avoid the question he might pop. He caught up with at the corner, tugging at her sleeve, and standing in front of her.

"So how's Catrina, she hasn't called me in days."

Maureen looked off to the side, then back. "She's fine, she's out and about...in different places." She replied quickly, too quickly.

"-So she hasn't fell out with me or anything?"

"No, no, no, no, no."

"Could you pass on the message that I asked about her, and ask her to call me." Robert began to back away, feeling happy with himself.

"Erm...I won't be able to do that straight away she gone to err...San Francisco, for a few days."

Robert paused, and looked slightly baffled. "Oh...she didn't tell me."

"-Well it was all of a sudden, an old pen pal asked her last minute and zooooom, she was off." Maureen rubbed the back of her head irritably. "Catrina loves her shopping." She gave Robert a weak smile and took her leave.

--------------------------------------------------------

Jack lifted himself off the floor, and dusted himself off. He looked up to see Francesca staring at him curiously. "Don't ask."

"She doesn't have that effect on yous does she?" Francesca asked, putting a hand on her hip.

"Nooo, something dragged me somewhere else, I was able to talk through someone else, and you'll never guess who I spoke to."

"Who?" She asked, beginning to slip off her gloves to file her nails, not in the slightest bit interested.

"Well my dear." He snatched the file away from her, and she immediately looked up in surprise. "Maureen."

"Maureen...as in the girl that got away, the Madre of Catrina!"

"Yes, now get out of my way." Jack shoved by her, making for the decking.

"Your not by any chance looking for Catrina are you?" Francesca questioned. Jack paused in the doorway, with the sun blazing on his front, silhouetting him. He licked his pointed tooth as he turned around to her. 

"Well yes, she is my prisoner, I have to see her sometime or another don't I?"

"Aren't you supposed to leave her alone, and then go wiz our little plan?-"

"I was going to befriend her first, then go 'wiz' our little plan." Jack mocked, he then winked at her and flashed a dazzling smile which he had captured many women's hearts with, as he disappeared into the sunlight.

Jack circled the decking, not finding Catrina. He decided to seek out her soul, using one of his many talents. He closed his eyes, and began to sense the whole boat in his mind, he scanned every nook and cranny for his token, a smile came to his lips as a small outline flash in his mind, he felt a warm tug in his heart strings, he could almost smell her feminine essence. His fair blue eyes met daylight again as he casually turned around and made his way indoors. He headed for the helm, he pushed open the door, and rushed in, the same way he did when he heard Dodge and Maureen talking about him many years back. He could feel her, but couldn't see her, his eyes went cat yellow as he saw her glowing aura through the ceiling of the helm. He walked over to one of the windows, and stuck his top half through, and stretched, his eye level rested above the roof, and he saw Catrina's slender form standing a distance away from him, facing out to sea, her hair looked red in the sun light with it's mixture of blonde and brown, and it blew away from her face like a silk sheet. 'How can a mortal look that beautiful?' He pulled his tall cat-postured frame through the window, and used his strong arms to pull himself up. She hadn't noticed him behind her, he pushed the lust to the back of his mind and approached her.

"I think I shall call you Rose."

Catrina jumped around, she lost her balance and she was about to plummet over the edge but he grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him. For just a half second he felt shell-shocked that she was about to fall to her death. But the worry passed suddenly as he held her safely, he had to come to terms with the personality he was supposed to be using on her.

"Are you okay?...s-s-sorry I startled you." He stuttered, acting on his innocent friend manoeuvre. For a brief moment he thought she bought it, but she shakily pushed him away. Catrina felt sick with shock and slight arousal. She had almost died, but then she was saved by the man she loathed, and her core began to ache. She shakily tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm fine...I'm fine."

"No your not fine Catrina, now sit down." Jack put pressure on her shoulders and she sank down, and he sat down along side of her. She pulled her knees protectively to her chest, and Jack copied her, so it would throw away some threat.

"How'd you know I was up here?" She asked quietly, not looking at him.

Jack strained his eyes to think. "I...err...could smell you?" Jack suddenly heard her huff out a laugh through her nose.

"I smell that bad do I?" Catrina was slightly amused. Jack brought his eyes to her and noticed she was still looking out to sea.

"No no, not at all." He side glanced at her, she was discreetly rubbing her arms. He shuffled over, and wrapped one side of his coat around her so they were sharing a coat, she didn't reject it at all, in fact she tugged it tighter around her, which made Jack jerk closer, he didn't mind.

Catrina didn't know if she was happy or not, she stared out at the sea because she was confused and frustrated, she knew that if she took her eyes off the horizon she would look at Jack, and he would be looking at her in his creepy way, or vice-versa he would see her looking at him in the same creepy way. Catrina placed her chin on her kness, her eyes glazed over. -FLASH-

Her mother looked at her and guided her to the wooden chest at the foot of her bed. "No sweetie... he can't, at least not when I'm around." Her mum then tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She then seen Jack appear behind her mum, she shook with fear.

"MUMMY HE'S HERE!"

-Maureen whirled around. -FLASH-

Catrina jumped. 'How did he magically appear in the room?' She remembered Jack was right next to her, and she shuffled away. Jack looked at her in surprise.

"What's wrong?"

She was sitting a distance away from him. He tried to scan her mind, to see what she was thinking that had made her jump, he didn't come across anything. He assumed she must have remembered he was there or something. 'Maybe I could stir her hormones?' He knew he was breaking all the rules to all deals and promises he had made...but what the heck. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated, he was searching for her inner core.

Catrina was just going to sit a few metres from him, but then she felt slightly uncomfortable and began to slide further away, an ache had formed in her stomach, suddenly the ache turned into a warm pleasant feeling, then it exploded into a pleasure. She gasped and clutched her stomach. Catrina felt it increase, she didn't want to moan out in ecstasy, not in front of Jack, so she exclaimed a mighty 'ow!'.

Jack at first was enjoying himself, what he was doing to the inside of her body, but he immediately stopped when she exclaimed an 'ow' and he realised he must of been hurting her. Jack put on an innocent look and moved over to her.

"Are you feeling alright?" He placed a comforting arm around her, and in response she shivered slightly, she looked up. Her emeralds locked with his blues. Jack felt intoxicated, he felt like a horny teenager again, and couldn't hold it back any longer. Jack grabbed her head and pulled her in for a kiss, he didn't even get a chance to taste, for the moment his lips met her, her palms pushed hard against his chest and he was knocked back, which gave her the opportunity to run to one side and jump to the lower deck. He jumped up and growled angrily after her, now that her presence was gone his arousal faded a little.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

She was tired of running, but it was the only thing she could do. 'Always look on the bright side, I'll have a brilliant stamina by the end of this ordeal...that's if there's an end to this ordeal?' Catrina slowed her pace when she reached the doors to the main hall, she put a hand to her jaw and clicked it slightly. In her desperation she didn't know she had walked through Francesca's ghostly form in the doorway. Francesca watched her walk off down the unlit corridor, and Catrina was slowly engulfed in darkness.

Francesca quickly dissolved when a dull pain shot through her right hand, Jack was coming and he was extremely grassed off.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Catrina stepped over bits of broken glass and furniture in a part of the ship she hadn't been in before, shimmers of light, reflected off ripples of water which shone brightly on the grim walls. She reached what seemed like the end of that particular corridor. She heard a creak nearby, she looked to her right and saw a door which was ajar. Catrina motioned towards it, and pushed open the door with her finger -FLASH-

She saw her mum, holding a flash light and motioning cautiously towards the same door.

-FLASH-

Catrina was amazed she had stumbled on the same door her mum must have years ago, she was overwhelmed with excitement and made her way in. The room itself was cluttered with half opened suitcases. Clothes and toys were strewed about the gloomy room, and crayon drawings were untidily stuck to the doors of the wardrobe. She glanced at a china doll which was perched on a chair next to the dressing table, it's beady eyes held an eternal sadness. Catrina picked it up and rubbed her thumb along it's cold pottery face. Her gaze went back to the wardrobe, her fingers brushed over the rough drawings, she pushed the door open - and screamed in terror as she jumped back- she dropped the china doll to the floor and it's face shattered. A half decayed skeleton, dressed in a scraggy blue dress hung from the top of the closet. The dress looked familiar, it was the same dress she had drew on a girl in her sketch pad...she remembered her mum had called her Katie Harwood.

"Who are you?" A little voice asked from behind her, she spun around and stared at the girl from her pad in life form. She was reminded of when she was little, all except for the deathly pale skin, and her eyes. Katie looked back at her.

"I'm Catrina...Catrina Dodge, I'm guessing your a ghost." Catrina said, and Katie nodded in response.

"Is it true that your Maureen's daughter?" Catrina smiled weakly at her, and Katie's eyes widened.

"I knew it!" Katie jumped up slightly, simply childlike, her face then dropped. "But is the other thing true...you were bargained for and kidnapped?"

Catrina scratched her arms "That is true."

"How come your still alive...how come your soul hasn't been taken!" Katie exclaimed, totally baffled, Catrina's brows furrowed. There it was again the mention of 'souls'.

"I am alive because Jack wants me alive,...and what is the significance with souls around here?"

Katie walked around the cases, brushing her colourless fingers over her old suitcases. "Didn't your mum, or anybody else tell you anything about Jack?"

There it was again something about Jack and souls. "You know what, why don't you tell me everything you know about Jack?...Then we could cut the explanations short." Catrina looked at Katie rather perplex.

Katie folded her arms behind her back. "He's a soul collector."

"Say what?"

"A soul collector." Katie repeated looking about her wearily.

"Is that another way of saying a weird guy that likes living on a haunted ship?"

"Haven't you even wondered why we're all afraid of him, and how he keeps us here?"

Catrina started to take in more breath. "Maybe your just b-being paranoid, your just trapped 'cause you need the killer to be brought to justice...I will bring him to justice."

Katie walked in front of Catrina. "It's not as simple as that, he has-!" Katie froze, and looked at the ceiling in terror. "Not again!" She put her hands over her head, as a form of protection as she faded out, Catrina stood their dumb-struck and creeped out.

She shook herself. 'No he can't be...it's ridiculous.' She walked out of the room and into another room across the landing. 'Does he have powers or something?' Catrina then imagined what he would be capable of if he did have powers, she cringed. Catrina slowly opened the wardrobe in the room, and was surprised to find everything intact. It was a closet of a wealthy young woman, she pulled out three coats which caught her eye, and tried them on, looking in the mirror. The first one was a scarlet, ankle length coat, it wasn't something she had in mind. The second was a black rain coat which had a waist belt, then she tried on a dark green velvet cloak which had a hood on the back, she flicked her brown hair out of the coat, and the light brown curls at the end of her locks passed her shoulders. Catrina smiled and did a little twirl, it felt comfortable, not to mention it matched her eyes.

As she looked about her she noticed, as she did on may occasions everything looked old-fashioned. She looked at the wall, there was a lighter patch on the wall, as if something had been removed recently, maybe a calendar. The other clothes in the wardrobe were all dresses and skirts, and not a single pair of women's trousers could be seen, not even a pair of trainers. 'Just how old is this boat anyhow?' Catrina now wished she had paid attention in history. Suddenly her eyes focused on a black pair of knee length heeled boots, similar to ones she had at home but the toes were squarish. She immediately grabbed them and slipped them on. 'Oh yes I feel whole again.' Catrina walked out feeling absolute triumph, all she needed know was to get off the boat.

Catrina headed back to her room, but before she did she rushed down to the kitchen to get a few things. She walked through the door of her room 2 minutes later, suddenly the door closed behind her, she jumped around- Jack was standing behind the door looking quite pleased with himself, his pearly whites showing partly.

"There you are!" He exclaimed as if he were talking to a child. She swallowed, she didn't know if she liked him when he was happy. 'At least he's not angry.' He almost floated towards her, then he pinched her cheeks cruelly. "I have been looking everywhere for you...and don't you look nice with that little cloak on, let me help you off with that." Catrina bat his hands away, and took a step back from him.

Jack moved forward and began fiddling with the bow at the front of her new cloak, and she flapped out at him "Could you keep you hands off me!" Her hair began to get messy, and her cheeks went red in frustration.

"Calm down sweetheart...just helping you take of your cloak, that's all." Jack desperately tried to put on an innocent face, but he couldn't help but smirk at her suffering.

She half growled. "JAAAAACK STOP IT!" Catrina tried to slap him, but he caught her hand. His fingers came forward to try and hook them around the bow, but they went further and hooked onto the bit of strap between the cups of her bra. He instantly stopped and the smile was gone from his face. Catrina had stopped flapping when she suddenly felt cold fingers down her top, she looked down and looked back up again. Blue eyes staring at her, it was the look. It wasn't him playing games anymore. The next thing she felt was a hand on the back of her head, pulling her forward.

'Oh no... not again!' Her hands automatically came up between her face and his, he was desperately trying to reach her lips, she squirmed. She remembered on another occasion, where she had just been to her high school prom and she was getting a ride home from her date, Derek Johnson, and he pulled her by her hair back in the car to smooch her, luckily her dad was coming out to greet them. He dragged Derek out of the car by the scruff of his neck and kicked him in the ass. But with Jack, it was going to be slightly different, her dad wasn't around to kick anybodies ass, so she would have to rely on her own fist, but it all depended on her timing. Catrina then remembered what was tucked in the waist band of her skirt, the carving knife, she didn't wish to kill anybody, just use it as a threatening device. She came out of thought to find the room was a wreck, everything had been carelessly knocked out of its place, and she was pressed against the dressing table, Jack was firmly pinning her, her eye level reached his neck. His hands were about her head, with his thumbs caressing her cheek, he leaned in - TAP TAP...

"Err...pardon me Jack?" Jack looked around at a waiter standing in the doorway, Jack's face hitched with anger and slight embarrassment, he released Catrina's face.

Catrina gazed at the ceiling, mouthing 'thank heavens'. "Have I come at a bad time?" The waiter added nervously. Catrina shook her head.

"Well yes actually you have, but what is it!" Jack said.

"Erm...F-F-Francesca was wondering if you were supposed to be going somewhere this afternoon?" He didn't hold eye contact with Jack.

Catrina noticed Jack's pale blue eyes went blank, then they slowly moved to the corners to side glance at her. He pursed his lips in thought. "Oh yes...so I have!" He jerked off Catrina and walked past the startled waiter and down the corridor. The waiter remained and looked Catrina up and down, suddenly an arm appeared out from the side of the door and pulled the distracted waiter sideways. Then you heard Jack's voice. "I know she's nice to look at...now come on"  
Don't forget to r&r, even if your a regular. 


	8. Something about Jack

_Sorry about the spelling and grammar mistakes you might find._

Maureen sat at a desk, the lamp shone on her hands and across the pages of a book she was holding, the rest of the room was shrouded in darkness. With every turn of an ancient page, an echo would erupt throughout the entire room. She rubbed her temples as she reached another dead end. She slammed the book shut.

"Err...Mrs Dodge?" Maureen sat up straight and looked around, a woman in her late 50s was shining a torch in her direction. "I'm afraid I can't keep the library open any longer Maureen...I'm having calls from local residents about a burglar." Maureen smiled slightly at her being called a burglar, however the Librarian couldn't help but look at her sympathetically. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No I didn't." Maureen began to scoop up the various books that were scattered about the table and place them in there rightful places on the shelves. "But thanks all the same for giving up your spare time, I'm very grateful."

The librarian smiled and patted Maureen on the back, as she led her towards the main doors. "I think I'll come in the morning and have another look...If that's okay with you?"

"Oh that's fine." The woman subtlety guided her out into the open. "Not to be nosy or anything Maureen, but...err...what are you exactly looking for?"

Maureen turned around to face her in the doorway. "Just research really."

"But why do it in the evenings?"

"-Because I have other things to do in the day time." Maureen smiled pleasantly and waved as she turned around. The librarian looked after her curiously as she closed the door and locked it.

A cold night air ruffled through Maureen's curly locks as she zipped up her coat and stuck her hands in her pockets, once again thrown into a pit of frustration and confusion, there were no answers to what she needed, she could feel her daughter slowly slipping away into oblivion. Maureen knew she could find her daughter, but she didn't know how to take her back without getting her or her family hurt. Many times she had been tempted to head to Alaska straight away, but she knew she was being idiotic, so she would settle down again.

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The sun dimly lit the horizon which was reflected in Catrina's eyes. She stood at the very front of the ship, her hair and cloak blew out behind her. She hadn't seen Jack in days, which was quite unusual. Catrina gripped the railings tightly, turning her knuckles white. Although she was glad he wasn't there, another part of her felt lost without his presence. She even felt like she...missed him, but no she didn't, he was her captor, and she hated him for it. Catrina also disliked the way he touched her without her permission, no matter how much her heart screamed out for more, her brain said 'No!...He is an evil, murdering, perverted little...' Her face softened. It was just the way he touched her- like no other boy who had touched her before...Not even Robert could match up to the amount which pleasured her. There were moments when she was with Robert where she felt...ecstatic, but it wasn't the same as feeling - lust, and confusing lust. Catrina tried to think hard of a moment where she did feel lust towards Robert - there was a weak spell when she was in his car on lovers canyon. That's where she kissed him for the very first time, it was a forced kiss, because he wasn't really trying to start anything, he was just sitting there, talking about his annoying math teacher, then it happened...they were making out. It was a bit embarrassing when Emma and Adam started making Ape noises in the back seat. Ever since that night they had been going out.

"Catreena, what are you doing up at this hour?" Catrina turned her head slightly, she could see red in the corner of her vision.

"Why should you care?" Catrina replied calmly. "Your just another servant of Jack, trying to keep me here and prevent me from destroying more furniture."

Catrina thought the woman had left, because it was tomb-like quiet, then the voice was right next to her ear. "I am also here to make sure you don't try and hurt yourself."

"Excuse me?...Does Jack think I'm suicidal!"

The Italian woman pursed her lips. "Well he does now...I told him about ze knife secreted ona your person."

Catrina began to feel around for her knife, it was gone, she looked up angrily at her. "I wasn't going to use it to kill myself, I was going to use it as a means of defence!" She stormed through Francesca's ghostly form, which dispersed into hundreds of orbs, then they rejoined again, forming a pissed of Francesca.

"I hate it when she does zat!"

-------------------------------------------------------

Catrina once again wondered into her room, she looked about her. The past few days had caught up with her, she thought she had come to terms with it all, but she hadn't. Now that no -one was around to bother her, her lip began to quiver, and she clasped like a tonne of bricks on to her bed spread. She curled herself up into a ball, like she did when she was younger. Tears sprung to her eyes, which then leaked onto her silk duvet. Sadness, isolation, and anger gripped her very soul. Catrina hadn't yet come to terms with her mother bargaining her off, she couldn't believe it, and she still couldn't believe no - one had come to her rescue yet. She then sat up feeling tired of feeling sorry for herself, it was time to act. She needed to build a raft or at least make an attempt to contact someone nearby. Catrina slid of her bed, and dashed out of her room in a direction which led her to a corridor leading to even more corridors, she was lost in a maze of doors. She came across a stairway which spiralled downwards into a deep cavern of darkness. Catrina edged slowly down the steps, every metre brought her closer to the gloom, every intake of her breathe rattled through her lungs and bounced off the walls of the stairway, it seemed to take forever to reach solid ground, she sighed and began feeling around her, to get a rough image of the pitch black room she was in. The floor was non-carpeted, and there was a strong smell of death in the room. Her fingers brushed against what felt like buttons, then she came to a wall, her hand knocked against a lever which was sticking up, she rest her hand on the handle -FLASH-

_A man approaches a lever, his hand pushes it up and a wheel begins to turn which causes a metal wire to tighten. People are dancing on the upper deck, the wire is pulled so tight it snaps and flies out towards the people dancing, it slices through them all. Everyone on the dance floor collapses, all except two, Katie and the captain. The girl steps back and the captain's head drops to the floor, his lifeless body then follows. Katie steps back and screams in terror._

-FLASH-

Catrina jerked her hand off the handle, her eyes were round like quarters and rimmed with tears. She spun around ready to walk towards the stairs - the lights came on - a man stood directly in front of her dressed in white, she jumped back in surprise.

"Hello sweetheart, you lost?" He smiled evilly at her. Catrina stared wide eyed at him, that voice, she recognised it as one of the crew members that tried to lift up her skirt 6 days ago.

"I'm fine, I was just leaving." She tried to rush through him, but he was as solid as a brick wall.

He chuckled slightly. "I don't think that's going to work...y'see I'm concentrating real hard." He pushes her back and she falls onto something soft behind her, arms envelope her across the chest, she shrieked in surprise.

"Let go of me!" She elbowed the person behind her in the chest and it had no affect on them, so she screamed. The man in white stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face, so hard in fact she almost blacked out from the sheer force of it, her face reddened and her eyes stung with tears.

The person behind her spoke. "Dashel...what yer playing at?...You could of left a mark!"

"It's just a little red, that'll fade." Dashel replied while turning Catrina's head by her chin, she jerked away from his grip and spat at him. "She's so feisty isn't she?...I'm going to enjoy this." The man made for her again.

"Wait!...won't she tell?" The man behind her added, still gripping her tightly.

"Nah she won't, if she knows what's good for her?" He looked her in the eye dangerously, then he kneeled down and raised her legs.

'God how I hate being the damsel in distress!' Catrina kicked out violently at him, her foot collided with his face, and he was knocked off his feet. At the same time she jerked her head back to head butt the guy behind her, he released her to rub his nose. As she jumped up and ran by the pair towards the stairs, she wondered how she managed to harm a ghost? She clattered up the stairway, her heart pounding madly with shock and fear, she reached the top and proceeded down a corridor towards a door marked fire escape, the draft wiped through her hair. Catrina's heart sighed with relief as she bashed the doors open and was greeted by sunlight.

------------------------------------------------

Jack crossed a road towards the Alaskan bar, he smiled nastily as he walked into his territory, he strode by the juke-box and sat where he normally sat to observe the rest of the bar, then he ordered a beer. His youthful face blanked out as he took a swig out of his bottle. He found himself thinking of Catrina, over the pass couple of days he would have a moment where he had vivid images of Catrina flashing through his mind, some which were just part of his imagination. He remembered one very well which was of her sitting on his bed in a towel, combing her wet hair, then the next minute he would appear in front of her and whip off her towel, the next part was quite obvious. A smirk came to his face as he recalled the last time he had touched her, his loins throbbed with an erection, and he quickly grabbed a newspaper and placed it on his lap to cover it slightly. He cleared his throat and smiled casually at a female bartender walking by him, she in turn flashed him a dazzling seductive smile, and when she was out of ear shot, he turned back to his beer and muttered 'slut' under his breath. Suddenly his blue eyes glazed over, his pupils shrunk -his face felt sore- He cracked his knuckles angrily, he sensed someone had deliberately slapped Catrina hard. How dare they touch something of his. He was dragged out of thought when he sensed someone sitting next to him, he smiled. "I didn't expect someone like you to travel this far up." He turned to find a middle-aged man looking seriously at him.

"This isn't a smiling matter Jack." Jack dropped his smirk slightly.

"Why...what have I done now?"

"You know perfectly well what you have done!" The man wagged his finger.

Jack rolled his eyes. "And what is that then?" He took a swig from his beer.

"You've turned into a softy."

"-No I haven't."

The man dropped into a harsh whisper. "-You haven't killed anybody in days...and I bet you haven't even thought about killing anybody in the next 24 hours."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "How would you know that, I could be planning a massacre as we speak?"

"And are you?"

Jack said nothing, and shook his bottle to swirl the last dregs of his beer.

"Uh hu... I knew it, it seems to me this new obsession of yours is ruining your schedule."

"-It has just been one drink, one drink once a week."

"I'm not talking about your drinking habits, I'm talking about Catrina."

Jack took a final swig from his beer. "I'm not obsessed with her, I'm just keeping her in check."

The man sniggered slightly. "More like keeping her fresh for yourself."

"No...it's just I have a deal to uphold." Jack added, feeling a bit aggravated. "She is a prisoner."

"I think it's more than that, she's turning into a nice little play thing for you to go back to...isn't she?"

"You can't tell me what to do with my prisoners."

The man surveyed him through his spectacles. "I think you'll find I can, I'm doing this for your own good Jack, you don't want to mess up now...your the best in the business."

"Yeah...I am aren't I?" Jack leaned back in his seat, with a smarmy look on his face.

"Don't get cocky about it, you still have some faults...like your dislike for hot chocolate...and being un-able to keep your hormones in check." He tapped on Jack's newspaper which was still rested on his lap.

"-I don't love her!" A few people in the bar looked over at them, the man leaned in closer to Jack.

"Whatever...just focus on filling your quota, not getting into Catrina's pants."

Jack pursed his lips irritably. "I am capable of doing both."

The man got up from his seat. "I'm sure you can, but if your work suddenly deteriorates, then I know what's to blame...and I'm positive management will eliminate the problem."

Jack glared angrily at him, the man then waved and exited. Soon as the door flapped shut- the beer bottle he was clutching in his right hand, shattered into pieces. His hand trickled with blood, and splitters of glass could be seen sticking out of his raw palm. Jack opened out his hand and marvelled at the site of his own blood, he then curled his digits tightly into fist, the warm fluid oozed out from between his fingers. His eyes darkened as the blood began to run backwards and drip back into his hand, meanwhile shards of the bottle, which were either on the table or scattered on the floor, flew up and began to repair and re-attach itself to form a full bottle. When Jack finally opened out his right hand, it with perfectly normal, and he held a dozen diamond sized pieces of glass which immediately shot out of his hand, and clicked into their rightful places of the bottle shell.

"-What the fuck!" He looked up and stared darkly into the eyes of a gob smacked bar tender. The bar tender yelped as a blade suddenly sank between his ribs and into his rapidly beating heart, he was dead before he hit the ground. What happened within the following 10 seconds was chaos, on-lookers jumped up and yelled in terror, some just ran for the exits, but not a single person made it out alive.

Jack casually strolled out of the bar, flexing the fingers of his right hand sinisterly.

------------------------------------------------

Catrina was bored beyond relief, she had sat with her back against the cold railings for 2 and a half hours, counting the seagulls which had landed on the roof of the helm, so far she had counted 3, this meant she was not very close to land, which brought down some hope of her getting away from the ship. She remained there most of the evening, when the stars began to appear, Catrina pulled herself up, and walked to the side door. She had become obsessed with her height, every so often she would scratch a line on a random door frame to measure herself out, and return to it later, to see if there was a change. She was always 5 ft' 6, at least 4 bits shorter than Jack. Catrina wondered back to her room. She found it had been cleaned, and there was a stack of brand new clothes on her bed. She began to sift through the pile, she held up a t-shirt which had a miniature big-bird from Sesame Street printed on it, a pair of hip hugger jeans, and a matching denim jacket. Catrina tried them on and looked in the mirror, she noticed part of her stomach was showing.

"You've got to be kidding me?" She then turned to look at the tiny rose shaped tattoo on the base of her back. She remembered Emma had encouraged her to get one just like hers, even though she hated it. "Damn I'm gonna have to get that removed."

She came out of the room 10 minutes later fully dressed, she had found a pair of trainers in the stack so she put them on.

The ballroom area was quiet as usual. As she reached the centre of the room, she suddenly froze in mid-step, something was nagging at the back of her mind, she looked over towards a line of tables which were curved into a 'C' shape. The middle table was somehow calling to her, Catrina approached it cautiously, she stretched out her hand - Her finger grazed the table cloth - FLASH-

_She saw herself running into the ballroom in panic -FLASH- her outfit changed into a long dress -FLASH- her outfit changed back to how it was, she twisted her neck round to look behind her BANG she saw herself run into the middle table. "Aaah...ow ow ow!" Catrina shrieked clutching her hip._

-FLASH-

Catrina brought her fingers away from the table, she stared blankly at it, she had come to terms with the fact she could see stuff which had already happened, but she was baffled to visualise something that had definitely 'not happened'. Normally when she visualised something, it held some significance. 'So if I don't avoid this table, I will hurt my hip...and I will be unable to escape?...Okay...that seems easy'  
Catrina backed away from the set of tables, and turned - her eyes caught sight of a grandfather clock, it's pendulum was ticking and swishing from side to side. _10:00 pm_.

-----------------------------------------------------

Jack tipped his plane sideways to turn it in the right direction. His bright blue eyes peered over his oxygen mask and out of his window, below him were the rough waves of the Bering sea. He had to go up there to take pictures of the Antonia Graza to show salvagers to lure them in, his other pictures had been lost. It wasn't about fixing the ship anymore, it was about bringing a group of gullible sinners to an isolated location, and slaughtering the lot of them - for their evil souls. He smiled at the thought of galleons of blood being spilt upon the rusty interior of his ship, his smirk dropped slightly when he suddenly pictured Catrina screaming at the top of her lungs in a pool of blood, the same type of blood which was dripping from his own hands. He rubbed his temples irritably. 'She must be out of the way...she can't see that.'

'So what...why do you care!...She going to see something just as bad when you return anyway?'

'- I'm okay with her seeing that, it's just...putting Catrina and murder in the same room, is not something I had in mind!'

'Jack you've gone soft.'

'I can slaughter in front of her if I want to...I just don't want to'

'You pathetic little softy!.. .You can't even have sex with her without having...'_issues_!'

'FUCK OFF JACK!' He left his little box of debate, he suddenly heard a voice in his earpiece.

"Ferriman your nose is down!"

Jack looked up front, most of the horizon was took up with water, he was plummeting fast towards the sea bellow. "Pull up Ferriman!"

"Shit!" He brought up the nose and found himself going into a stall, he pulled off his mask and gasped for breathe. Jack brought the craft straight, his oxygen tank had slightly jolted. He clipped his mask back on.

"Bit of a close call that was Jack." The other pilot said riding up along side him.

"I know, I know!" He replied a little aggravated. "You didn't have to come with me you know?"

"It was a good job I had, or you would have been on your way to the sea bed right now."

Jack rolled his eyes. They flew in the darkness for 10 minutes, Jack sighted the Antonia Graza in the distance, he heard the other pilot comment on it, but he ignored it. He then noticed the letters **_S.O.S_** a blaze on the top of the helm. Jack grinned under his mask. "Clever girl." He muttered, as he soared in circles above the ship, he tore his eyes away from the blaze, and onto a figure who was tying white bed sheets to the railings. His precious.

"What the hell!...we better call back immediately." The other pilot said in a state of shock, he picked up another receiver attached to his control board.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you?" Jack's deepened voice answered through the earpiece.

"Wha..?" The man's plane suddenly jolted slightly, then it tilted to turn around, it was heading back to base on it's own accord, the man was baffled. Jack was almost having a migraine controlling the thing, he then had to also turn his own craft around and follow, while steering the other plane with his mind.

"Err...Jack I'm having trouble controlling...Jack?" Jack grit his teeth in concentration, his lips pulled tight. When both planes were about a couple of miles from the ship, he released.

The other pilot sighed. "Pheew...what was that all about?" He turned to his right, to look at Jack in the other plane, he remained staring straight ahead. "Ferriman respond,...err...hello can you here me?" He waited a moment...then -

"No one can hear you Alan." Jack said darkly, he slowly twisted his head around to face Alan, a dangerous look was in his eye, Alan looked back at him creeped out. "Not - a living - soul." Alan stared wide eyed out of the window as Jack de-materialized - leaving the cockpit empty, he suddenly felt a cold presence behind him.

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Catrina stood on the decking, looking anxiously in the direction the 2 air force planes went. It was odd, they had made no indication to her they were going to do anything. But her hopes were sky high and her fingers were tightly crossed behind her back.

_Please review...even if you not bothered...force yourself, I need to know what you think._


	9. AllworkandnoplaymakesJackaverydullboy

WARNING SEXUAL CONTENT...GROPING, YES IT IS AS WEIRD AS IT SOUNDS!

_You must read the whole chapter ----don't just think soon as it's gone to one part -it suddenly means it's going all the way (if you know what I mean), you must not miss bits out----Even when there are some bits where the characters are talking to themselves. Also you'll recognize the term 'making sweet sweet love' from 'Not another teen movie'. And another part from the shining._

Two days after Catrina's fifth birthday...FLASHBACK

Maureen and Dodge were holding their daughters hand on either side, guiding her across the ice rink. She beamed brightly as her blades skimmed the ice beneath her.

"Okay okay, I think I got it." She said, her eyes still watching her feet.

"Alrighty then!" Dodge released his daughter's hand, Maureen exaggerated slightly before she loosened her grip, unsure if it was safe. Catrina slid ahead of them, her legs were still stiff and parted, and her arms were prepared in front of her.

"Honey...I think you have to skate now?" Her mother called over jokingly. She smiled as Catrina began to push off with one leg and glide off the other, and vice-versa. Her daughter then turned her feet side on and swirled in a circle to face them.

"Did you see what I did!" Catrina squealed excitedly, she then turned and began to skate off.

Dodge grinned. "She's just like me when I was five."

"I didn't know you were a girl when you were five?"

Her husband turned towards her bemused, then he smirked. "You're a right smart ass ain't ya?" He then saucily slapped her ass, which caused her to wobble slightly on her skates. She straightened and returned his ass slap twice as harder. He smiled evilly at her. "Ooo it's a little competition now is it." Maureen flashed him a sexy smile and raced off, Dodge followed closely behind her with his hands out-stretched, trying to grab her, she laughed at his every attempt as she circled the rink. Catrina watched them 'goofing around' with amusement.

'Someone's going to sleep well tonight.' She thought. Her feet were still sliding across the ice - when she suddenly knocked into someone and fell hard on her butt. Catrina stared in front of her at a pair of legs, the person then crouched to her level - She was looking into the eyes of a man she saw reflected in the punch bowl at her party.

"Hello again Catrina." He exclaimed pleasantly, he brought his cold finger along her cheek, she flinched away from him- a reaction which made him grin. Jack then picked up one of her little hands and removed the glove from it, and then he kissed it at the knuckles. "I'll be off then...see you tomorrow!" He stood up straight, tucking her glove into his coat pocket. He backed off slowly, so he wouldn't break their eye contact. Jack then disappeared behind a wall near the edge of the ice, just as her Mum and Dad reached her either side.

"Are you alright sweetie?" Maureen inquired, starting to help her up. Her daughter remained staring in one direction, Dodge followed her eye-line to a wall, then turned back to turn her face towards him.

"Honey, what are you looking at?" She stared blankly at him, Maureen shook her then looked at her husband very concerned.

"Maybe we should go home?" They both guided Catrina off the ice-rink.

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Catrina's was lying on one of the sheets she had laid out on the poop deck, the breeze had lightly caught her hair, and strands of it were lightly tickling her face, her eyes fluttered open. She was looking at the railings of the ship, she then turned and lay on her back looking at the sky. Smoke was billowing upwards from the S.O.S sign from the other night. Catrina sat up, no one had come to rescue her, and she was so sure it would have worked, from the moment she heard the jet engines in the distance she had scooped up some wood, found herself some matches, and headed to the helm. 'Maybe someone will see the smoke?' Her ankle seared with pain as she struggled up, she had had an unlucky turn in the night in which she tripped over something and fell awkwardly on the bottom of her leg. Over night it had healed slightly, and she could walk again, but in great agony.

Catrina walked through the ballroom, as she did she looked at the curved table, noting where it was. Francesca was pacing on the stage like she had done on many occasions, but her posture wasn't as straight as it normally was, it was an inelegant slouch. "What?...I can not be perfecto all ze time!" She added, after glancing in Catrina's direction. She then disappeared off the stage and reappeared in front of Catrina. "What have I told you, to stay in your room, I am goings to be in a lot of trouble if Jack finds out I've let you do zat mess up zere!" Francesca gestured angrily towards the ceiling.

"You ain't the boss of me." Catrina walked around the Italian woman, holding back her tears of pain as her ankle began to hurt, then she turned around. "Oh yes and kindly tell Jack, when he gets back, that I have killed myself, and my body is on it's way to the bottom of the sea." She then smiled sarcastically, and took her leave.

'Happy Birthday to me, Happy birthday to me,

Happy Birthday to ...Catrina, Happy Birthday to me.'

Catrina pushed the door open to her room, the smell of sweet and sour sauce reached her nose, and she immediately jumped back from the doorway expecting to see Jack come from behind the door, but he didn't, so she slowly edged into the room with her hands up in defence. The last thing she needed on her birthday was a man molesting her. 'Wouldn't mind though?' Catrina blinked, amazed and disturbed by her own comment. She sat on the bed and reached for the box of noodles, she ate them singularly with her fingers, and then reached for a packet of spring rolls. Thoughts came rushing to her as she started to open the box. 'If I do manage to get off this boat...where will I go? My mum hasn't exactly improved the situation, 'cause she's the one that got me into this." Catrina rubbed her face in dissatisfaction. Even though she was angry with her mum, she felt like there was another side to the story which will make her understand why her mum had betrayed her - maybe Jack has been lying to her all the time, and maybe her mum is trying to rescue her, but doesn't know where she is? During Catrina's pause for thought, she hadn't realised her spring rolls where now scattered across floor. She looked down and groaned with annoyance. Then she stooped down and began to do the nasty task of looking at bits of fluff now stuck to her meal. Catrina stuck her top half under the bed to look for the remaining rolls. The covers fell around her on the outskirts of the bed, as she grabbed two of her rolls. The temperature suddenly dropped in the room, as she shivered - her breath came out in little wisps of steam. She slunk from under the bed, and stood up, as she tossed the rolls on her bed her gaze came to a familiar navy coat hanging on the bed post, her eyes widened and she straightened.

"Jack?" She could almost feeling him smiling.

"Yes honey, I'm home...and what a nice thing to come back to; a cosy room with a nice ass sticking out from under the bed. " His silky voice said, a fair distance away from her, Catrina nervously turned to see Jack starting to settle down in an arm chair propped up against the door, he swung his long legs over the arm, he was wearing jeans with a black jacket. "What...no hug, no kiss on the cheek, no sitting on my lap and asking about my day?" He put on a fake hurt look, then his lips curled into a sinister smile.

"How about a slap round the face for returning?" She smiled sadistically at him before sitting down on her bed. Jack raised his eyebrows, impressed out her calm she was at his presence, which wasn't going to last very long if he could help it.

"Your not too old to get a spank for cheekiness you know?" Catrina pulled the blanket over her lap and shifted uncomfortably.

Jack strengthened his gaze on her as he brought his legs from the arm of the chair to the floor, where he then stretched them out in front of him and crossed them, so his posture was of a slinky cat. "I have something for you in my pocket...do you want to know what it is?" He leaned back into his chair, to observe her perplexed expression.

"No, but I know you're going to tell me anyway."

"Right you are love, in my pocket is a letter for you." Catrina sat up straight, her needingful eyes shifted to his breast pocket.

"Who's it from?" Her voice was quiet and remained staring at the pocket. Jack pushed his ear forward with his finger. "I said who's it from!"

"I don't know I haven't opened it, I'm not nosy." Jack said, entwining his fingers and resting them on his stomach.

"Can I have it?"

"Yes." Jack looked upwards slightly, as if not bothered.

Catrina rolled her eyes. "Well aren't you going to hand it to me?"

"Err...no, I thought I would let you get it for yourself." Jack licked the bottom of his top set of teeth. Catrina jumped up and with her fists clenched.

"If you think I'm gonna come over there you must be bloody joking!"

"Well you're not going to get it then." He smiled and folded his arms.

Catrina tilted her head to the side. "There isn't a letter in your pocket is there?"

"Oh but there is." Jack pursed his lips, and waited, cruelly watching her. His eyes dropped to her flat stomach which was on show and he could just see her hip bone jutting out from the top of her low cut jeans, he could just imagine running his fingers along it, maybe even his lips. He brought his blue eyes to her startling greens, she was scratching the back of her neck irritably. Catrina was looking at the hollow of his neck, it was pale, slender, and... darn nice to look at.

'_What's with this guys neck, it's just a neck for Christ's sake, Robert has one!'_ Catrina looked up, and was taken aback to find Jack still looking at her questioningly. She clenched her fists and stalked over towards him, and stood directly in front of him. She bent her back slightly, and relentlessly stuck her hand in his breast pocket, her hand immediately came back out again and she took a step back. "There's nothing in there!" She said heatedly, feeling stupid. Jack gave her a lopsided grin, as his eyes focused on her.

"That's because it's in my trouser pocket sweetheart." Catrina stared wide-eyed at him, she gritted her teeth. There was no way of her putting her hands anywhere near his ass or even his thigh. "I'm waiting."

Catrina hesitated, then her hand darted forward and she thrust it into the split at the side, the pocket itself came round to the front of his jeans. She could feel his warm hip which made her quake as she searched.

To Jack it was better then he thought, it wasn't just the thrill of her finding what he had left in his pocket, but her small hands wriggling about his hip and his thigh, so close to his member. His eyes rolled and fluttered closed, he began to buck his hips towards her hand groaning and chuckling. Catrina looked at him bewildered, she tried to hurry her search.

"JACK...QUIT IT!" The tip of her fingers caught an edge of some sort of paper, she brushed her thumb over the surface, it felt laminated and there was something squashed inside it. As her fingers enclosed around it, she could feel the whole packet. Her eyes rounded and she leapt back, flinging her hand out in the process. "YOU TRICKED ME!" Catrina half screamed at him, and he in turn laughed at her.

"I didn't lie, I said it was a letter." Jack said, keeping his amused tone. "I just didn't tell you it was a French letter."

"Jack, that was a condom."

"Same thing."

"Why do you do these things!" Catrina gave him a disturbed look.

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Why?" His lips straightened, as he pushed himself up from the chair to gain height, a smile flickered on and off his face as he noticed her backing away from his power.

"Do you want me to show you why?" She nervously shook her head, he released his eerie laugh which made her skin crawl. His expression suddenly went serious and he took a step towards her, knowing perfectly well she was going to leg it. He could tell, when her eyes darted to the side he knew she was planning an escape route, and when she stopped breathing it was like a starting trigger to get her moving.

'What is he waiting for?' Catrina didn't blink, she stopped inhaling and took off - he was ready for her, and he enveloped her around the waist and lifted her slightly as he brought her backwards towards his chest, she kicked out wildly, her ankle began to throb with pain. She then screamed 'JACK' at the top of her voice. She began hitting at his arms which were tightly sealed around her waist, he then turned himself around and sat down on the arm chair, bringing Catrina with him, so she was sitting on his lap. She continued to struggle, trying to heave herself up from his lap, but his strong arms held her down on his thighs like a seat belt.

"Oh I'm getting sick of this." She growled.

"Then stop struggling."

"No...I want you to let go!"

"Can't you just let me-."

"No...I want to be as far away from you as possible."

"Catrina." Jack warned.

"- Just let me go!"

"I know you want it." He then whispered, jerking her further onto his lap.

"No I don't, now release me, you're squishing my liver!"

"You do want it, you just need a little boost of something."

"You better not drug me up!" She rocked from side to side trying to loosen Jack's grip.

"Catrina stop it." She continued to rock. This wasn't improving the situation, as Jack stared into her sleek hair, he could feel himself going harder with every jolt she made. Catrina froze after releasing she was stimulating something underneath her and began to heave herself forward away from him.

Jack knew she wasn't going to give up. 'If I could just keep her still, I might...just might have a chance.' He pulled his left arm tighter around Catrina's abdomen, just below her breasts, and then he raised his right arm.

"Let go of me!" She protested while trying to lean forward, Jack 'out of her sight' was manifesting a purple orb in his hand, his face deep with concentration. The purple orb then sunk back into his palm, he brought his hand up in front of her face.

"Look at my hand." Soon as her eyes focused on his palm, she felt herself go drowsy and yet she wasn't falling asleep, pink began to obscure her vision, and her movement speed was terribly slow. Catrina could hear the blood pounding in her ears. Her sense of touch was incredibly strong, every brush of fabric, or strand of hair was very sensitive to her skin. Jack's hand began to run up and down Catrina's arms, she didn't know why she couldn't stop him, she wasn't paralysed, she just felt incapable.

Her head began to drop slowly forwards, just before her chin touched her chest, Jack brought his hand to her forehead to steady her, and he tilted it back to rest on his shoulder. Catrina shivered as his warm peppermint breath blew gently on the side of her neck, she was totally unaware that her Iris was gradually turning pink. Jack ran his lips over the soft flesh of her neck and shoulder which were exposed, taking in her voluptuous feminine scent. He smiled inwardly as he sensed her body leisurely melting against his.

Catrina's vision had started to go cloudy and crimson, she was too aroused to be angry at her hormones for betraying her. '_Got...to...stop...this,...can't...stop,...won't...stop,...don't...stop.' _Her mind was pushing aside her pride and dignity, just to fit in pure lust. A small moan escaped from the depth of her throat as Jack lips began to pinch little bits of her flesh on her neck.

The sun blazed through the porthole on their now sweat speckled skin, Jack had pinched the skin on her neck until it had flushed, and he remained gently caressing her arms, while biting her ear. '_Who needs the plan now...when I can do this?'_ He thought. _'Must remember if I touch her lips the magic will end...and the manifestation will brake.'_

Catrina, with her head still tilted to one side, had totally lost touch with reality and found herself rubbing her upper legs sensually, then her hands slid up to caress her breasts, she was smiling and humming with pleasure, the spell had totally kicked in. Jack eyed her puzzled over her shoulder, with a little hint of desire. '_God how I love her...'._ He froze and sat up straight. _'...That came out wrong.'_ He shrugged it off and got up, bringing Catrina with him, she was still in a funny state, she had turned around and was hugging him with her head firmly pressed against his chest, a dreamy smile was plastered on her face. She had stuck her hands into his back pockets of his jeans. Jack had found himself backing her up towards the bed, soon as her legs hit the bed-frame he pushed her back onto the mattress, just before he was about to lie on top of her, he stopped. _'This isn't right, she doesn't even know what she's doing, and when the manifestation does finally come to an end she will probably remember nothing, and then I'd have gained nothing.'_ He stood himself up and looked down at her. Her brown hair fanned out under her head on the mattress and her eyes were pink and resembled an albino, which he wasn't aware of being a side effect for lust orbs. '_When I do get round to fucking her senseless, I want her to be herself and fully aware.' _He then corrected himself as he tilted his head to look deeper into her eyes. _'I mean when I'm making sweet sweet love to her,...it would be fun if she made the first move, then I would be in control during the whole performance.'_ Jack curled his lips up into an evil smile, he dragged himself out of thought and noticed Catrina trying to undo his zipper -He jumped back.

"Back off sister, your not ready for the pleasure package yet!" He slowly backed towards the door, pointing at her warningly, as if he were making a dog stay. Jack stopped at the armchair realising he had forgot something, he made his way back in front of her and crouched to her level, he then gave her a wet kiss on the lips, almost immediately afterwards he felt her jerk off him, and then a hand collided with his cheek. Even though his face stung like mad, and the look he was getting from her was sour, he couldn't help but grin and salute before pushing the chair aside and exiting the room, locking the door behind him.

---------------------------------------------------------

Dodge coughed and spluttered, as his wife lit some black candles. "Is this really necessary?"

"Yes, it's the only thing I can think of doing?" Maureen held out a piece of chalk for dodge to take. "Now remember it's a 5 pointed star, and make sure you don't draw the St Davis cross." Her husband nodded, and began to drag the white stone along the basement floor.

"If we can somehow contact... 'the other world', maybe they could tell us how to kill the demon, then we can head out to Alaska."

"- And get our daughter back." Dodge put down the chalk and got up. "I'm going to find my gun."

"Why do you want a gun for? That won't work...you even told me yourself it doesn't kill him."

"It will slow him down, but just maybe if I aim for the head it might kill him."

"Oh alright then." She watched Dodge doubtfully, as he hastily made his way out of the basement. His head appeared around the door as she lit another candle.

"Another thought...does this mean Jack might appear in the room?"

"I dunno, when the woman did it she was trying to focus on him, and think she was kind of a receptacle for possession, so if we don't focus on him-he won't show." She cocked an eyebrow perplex at her husband, still trying to come to terms with what she had said.

"Do you even know what you just said, or what we're supposed to do?"

"Nope, notta clue."

Dodge shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think I want to do this any more, I think this sorta thing is for the professionals- and us...we're not exactly professionals. When we're doing it- it's called meddling." Maureen gave him _'do you have a point look?'_ before crossing her legs. "I mean, don't we have to be witches...or something?"

"It looked pretty simple from where I was in the house, so let's just get on with it." She then picked up a fattish candle, and held it on her knee. Maureen did a little shiver with her shoulders, and released a shuddered breath, her eyes slowly closed. The room was silent -Maureen squinted one of her eyes to look at Dodge. "Well aren't you going to join me?"

"Oh you wanted me to do that, I though you were having a seizure." Dodge unfolded his arms, and settled down opposite her. He copied her actions and sat quietly with his eyes closed.

"We wish to communicate with the...err...'other world'." Maureen said.

"Maybe you should say limbo?"

Maureen nodded slightly with her eyes still closed. "It would be nice to talk to someone in limbo." She called, her husband sniggered.

"-It would be nice?"

"What!"

"You've got to command to see them, be more authoritive. You can't say stuff like; it would be nice, or if you not to busy?"

"Oh shut up, I'm being polite."

"Maybe I should do the call out?" Mike asked, swapping his candle hand. His wife squinted at him suspiciously." Just...go along with me please."

"Go on then." She replied irritably.

Mike cleared his throat. "Hi I'm Mike Dodge, this is my wife Maureen and we wish to speak to someone that has some connection to the other world, and has some knowledge on evil, without actually being evil."

Silence- Maureen had opened her eyes, and was glancing about the room wearily. Her husband watched intently as his candle began to flicker. A draft lightly blew through the room, causing both of them to shiver. "It's a little bit breezy in here isn't it?"

"-Ssshhh, we might lose touch." They both eyed their candles as they all dimmed to the same dullness.

"Is something supposed to happen at this point?"

Maureen sighed before answering. "I dunno...the same things are occurring."

Suddenly the tools hanging on the walls of the basement began to drop of their hooks and clatter on the work benches underneath, the floor rumbled beneath them, Maureen jumped up and ran into the arms of her husband for comfort. They stood in the centre of the room holding each other, while listening to the lone window rattle in it's pane.

"I don't believe it...it's actually working!" Maureen bellowed over the deafening noise. The candles rocked and rolled on the cold shaky floor, trailing drips of hot wax behind them.

"Mike look at the pentagram!" Maureen squawked in his ear, he spun around to look in his wife's direction. The chalk drawn pentagram had a huge crack tearing through it's core, the crack grew longer and longer, then it split and opened up into a cavern. Maureen forcefully pulled Dodge back from the crumbling mass of rock which was falling in ripples towards them. The earthquake abruptly stopped, leaving the couple standing there staring down a huge hole in the basement floor, gob smacked.

Dodge broke the silence. "Well I'll say that was a good start!... Now who wants decaf?" He began to walk towards the stairway, but Maureen yanked on the scruff of his neck.

"Let's go down there." She said calmly.

"-Boy I knew that was coming."

"Well if you scared you can stay here, and I'll go down."

"I didn't say I was chicken, I'm just a little unsure how far it goes and where it goes. It could be the portal to hell for all I know!" Dodge kicked a nearby rock down the hole and it immediately clattered at the bottom, they both stared downwardly, surprised.

"That has got to be 10 ft tops Mike, so it's not a long climb, anyway, you asked for it to be a non-evil source...so I don't think it's the portal to hell." She crept around the outside of the cavern to reach a few boxes under a few work benches, and she returned with two torches, and a load of climbing rope. Maureen tied one end of the rope securely on the banister of the stairs, then shucked the slack down hole. "Okay I have decided you stay here, and I'll go down...no buts, I just want to make sure Catrina has someone to look for her just in case something happens to me down there-."

"Aha...you do think there's something evil down there!"

"No - I'm worried about injuring myself, or worse...killing myself down there."

"There might not be anything down there in the first place, it could be just a ditch." Maureen turned her flash light on and pointed it down the hole, it shone on the opening of a tunnel on one side.

Maureen smiled approvingly at her husband, and gripped a piece of rope. "Oh I think I'll get somewhere."

"Well where ever you're going I'm coming too, we're in this together." Dodge grabbed a piece of rope nearest to the ledge behind her.

"Were you listening to what I said earlier?...If something happens to me I want you to be able to rescue our daughter using a different method!"

"Nothing will happen to you 'cause I'll be your support, I'll never leave your side...because I love you." His wife turned towards him with a weak smile hitched on her face.

"You haven't said that in ages."

Mike stared back at her. "I have, I've told you many times...haven't I?"

"-No...I would say it to you and you would say Dido, you know, like from the film 'Ghost'." Maureen pushed past him and lowered herself down, using the bit of rope she was still holding. Dodge watched dumbfounded.

"'Ghost' I like that film." He crouched down and daggled his legs over the side of the cavern. "Okay...you win, I'll stay, but don't forget this." He lobbed her a walkie-talkie which she caught.

"Aaa...the good old days."

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Catrina paced the room in panic. She knocked the side of her head with her knuckles, struggling to remember what had happened in the past ten minutes. All she could remember was being pulled onto Jack's lap, going drowsy, then falling into a half sleep -feeling slightly happy about herself, her core ached badly, then the feeling was suddenly dragged out of her, and her eyes came open, to find herself sitting on her bed with Jack's lips on hers. Not the most worst experience she must admit, but the idea of not knowing what he could of done to her in the ten minutes before where she hadn't been aware, made her feel panic stricken -lost and vulnerable.

'_He could have just moved me to the bed, then kissed me...' _Her expression was blank, then a disgusted look slid across her face. _'Jack wouldn't just move me and do nothing...unless he was going to do something and I woke up before he could begin.'_ She dragged her trainers across the floor, lost in thought while biting her nails nervously. She stopped abruptly after catching a glimpse of her reflection. Her hair was dishevelled at the back, meaning she must have been lying down at some point. Catrina bit her thumb nail in frustration as she stroked her hair down to neaten it. She pulled in her inner muscle to sense check it, it felt intact - some slight relief came to her well being, and she smiled weakly at herself in the mirror.

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"I've changed my mind." Francesca jumped as Jack strode into the room, her company disappeared.

Francesca turned around to greet him, but immediately took a step back - slightly freaked out.

"What!" Jack exclaimed, glaring at her.

"What's wrong wiz your eyes?"

"What's wrong with my eyes?...You've known me for over 50 years and you ask me what's wrong with my eyes, Jesus Christ!" Francesca indicated to a mirror on the wall, he turned to look.

His eyes where pinkish, albino pinkish. "What the hell!"

"Used any mageek lately?"

Jack twisted away from the mirror. "Yes...a lust orb, but I've never got red eyes from it before."

"Now when was ze last time you usings lust orb - oh ci, who could forget, ze girl of 79."

"Haven't I already told you not to mention that!" Jack swung his arm around to grab her throat but soon as his hand opened out wide - a huge fire ball emitted from his hand and flew past a startled Francesca, and into wall behind her. Francesca stared at the scorched wall in disbelief, then she steadily twisted her head round to look at a frozen Jack. Apart from his pursed lips, the rest of his face held no expression, and his hand which had released the fireball, still remained up in front of him.

Francesca broke the deafening silence. "Err...zat was very...interesting."

"Hm...yeah, and not to mention cool." Jack added, he scratched his head irritably. "Erm...I guess this means I've been promoted a little earlier than I expected?" His brows furrowed.

Francesca half smiled. "Congratulations...I guess?"

Jack didn't look pleased at all, his eyes narrowed, making the Italian woman shake with fear. He rubbed his temples impatiently. "Fuck, this is gonna totally screw everything."

" 'ow can it?"

"First of all my dear, I'll probably have to hand in this ship, and all the souls with it."

"Does zat mean I will be free?"

"No it means you will go to hell." Jack began to pace. "Item two, I will no longer be killing sinners to collect souls, instead I get to be frisky with anything that moves to collect souls!"

"-Err Jack?...I still can't see ze negateeve side."

"I'm getting to that, you see...being an incubus...while I'm getting frisky with whoever...I will be at the same time sucking out their souls, which will eventually kill them!"

Francesca face remained blank, he rolled his eyes.

"So that means no more playing around with Catrina...No more plan A, and come to mention it plan B has gone out the window!" He folded his arms angrily, his nostrils flared.

"Why can't you play around with Catrina? It would save you time and effort, because she is already here."

"I don't want to fucking kill her!"

"-Who ze hell are you!" She exclaimed throwing her arms up in the air.

"Someone who is keeping a bargain you stupid bitch!" He brought his face dangerously close to hers. Francesca opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again, muted with terror, she vanished.

Jack sighed heavily and straightened. He slowly rolled his head on his neck, he could almost hear his trapped souls and co-workers whispering. _'Obsession.'_

He knew he had been given promotion early, either as a sample of what he will get if he completed all his work, or to test him to see if he was obsessed. Okay, maybe he was a little obsessed, but the main reason was to uphold the deal,...Catrina being dead is not a very long-lasting suffering for the mother, after all she did ask for more than what she deserved. Jack peered in the mirror his eyes were gradually returning to their pale blue. Thinking back to when he was with Catrina, she had stirred him real bad, and if he hadn't stopped, she would probably be dead now. He grit his teeth heatedly.

'_All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy.'_

Luckily he had brought some company with him, a small group of bag packers - fresh out of college. All he needed to do was make sure they don't wonder deeper into the ship, and that Catrina stays in her room.


	10. Chapter 10

_Please be patient with the long scenes -I was going to include a little something in this chapter (at the end) but decided to put it in the next. I prefer limiting chapters up to 12 pages._

The Sunlight streamed through the blinds in Mrs Marguiles's classroom. The desks were set in neat rows in the middle of the room, and every desk was labelled with the pupil's name. Every child was present and was either beaming brightly or resting their chins on their hands bored.

"Ships and Boats...used since the beginning of civilisation..."

A red headed girl raised her hand. "Err miss...aren't we supposed to be designing war posters?"

"Yes Alice we should, but I've decided we should do something a little different for today...we've made lots of posters over the past few days and now I think it's time we take a break from it all." The children looked at her shocked. "-I know we're in the middle of a war...but I think America will forgive me for just this lesson."

"As I was saying...Ships and boats, used since the beginning of civilisation...a man made object for transporting people and cargo across rivers, seas, and oceans." Mrs Marguiles paced in front of the blackboard while hitting a ruler into the palm of her hand.

"You're probably thinking...why is she telling me all of this, this is supposed to be an art lesson. Well children I believe before we make something, we have to know it's origins, and most importantly, how it works? Because I don't just want you to build a boat out of lollipop sticks...I want you to be the boat." Several sniggers erupted around the classroom, the teacher rapped the ruler against her desk for silence.

"Now if you please...turn to page 55 in your books." The sound of pages being turned filled the room as the children in unison flicked through their text books. "I would like some readers...?"

Not single pupil spoke or raised their hand.

"Okay?...How about." Mrs Marguiles cast her metre stick across the class, pondering over the many nervous faces at each desk.

"Amy...would you do the honours?"

A girl's brown skirt rustled slightly as she stood up from her desk with her book held close to her face. "For thousands of years, people have wanted to move on the water. They have used boats and ships to fish, to travel, to explore, to trade or to fight. Throughout the time that people have been building boats and ships, they have made changes to them, to make travelling on the water easier, faster and safer."

Meanwhile a chubby blonde boy slowly opened his desk to pull out a folded piece of card, after checking the teacher wasn't looking, he passed it to another boy on his left. "It's the latest."

The boy half opened it. A smile slid onto his face, he closed it. "Piiisst...Jacob." He whispered, Jacob's ears twitched, and he brought his hand behind his back and opened it, his friend slipped the card into his hand.

He brought it in front of his eyes. "Wow she's pretty...what's her name?" Jacob asked, keeping his voice low.

"Betty Grable."

Jacob glanced at the teacher. She was sitting at her desk with the book in front of her, following what Amy was reading.

"...No-one knows exactly when the first boat was invented. Long ago, people probably discovered that they could keep themselves afloat by clinging onto fallen logs or bundles of reed. Gradually, they learnt how to hollow out logs to make rafts. Dug-outs and rafts meant that people could cross water without getting wet. They could also carry things and animals."

Jacob leaned over to pass the pin-up picture to a small boy on the other desk, who was doodling on the inside cover of his text book. "Jack...take a look at this."

Jack took the picture in his hand, looked at it and gave it back to him uninterested. "I'm seven Jake, we still have another 6 years until we should start taking an interest in girls."

"Oh come off it...we have to be prepared for high school."

"We have plenty of time before -"

"JACK BE QUIET!" Mrs Marguiles ordered after spotting him.

Jack's little aristocratic face held an icy coldness as he pursed his lips and focused on his book. The voices in his head had started up again, they weren't just anybody's voices, they were his own. The dark side of his mind - not entirely a different person, but another half of him which tells him to do stuff. He wasn't a skitso, or somebody that liked to create imaginary friends...Jack was just someone that had rash thoughts. But when they began to corrupt him, they weren't just rash thoughts, they were sick fantasies which he believed he had to accomplish.

A misty haze had clouded his mind as he stared uncomprehendingly at the book. Amy's voice had began to drift further away, as he was sucked into his own little world. 'Time to kill Jack, kill everybody... no the teachers.' Jack smiled inwardly. Then a bright light took up his entire vision, the light faded, and he saw himself wondering into a science lab. He reached up for a bottle of disinfectant sitting on the top shelf. Then his little hand pawed through a tray of test tubes, he selected one and slipped it into a holder, Jack placed a funnel at the top of the test tube. With both of his small his hands he held the bottle and clumsily poured some disinfectant into the funnel which then filtered into the test tube below. He put a cork in the test tube and slipped it into his dungaree pocket. Another blinding light flashed before him, he jumped and found he was sitting at his desk, Jack could still feel the weight of the disinfectant filled test tube in his pocket.

Later...recess came, the teacher filed out the children in lines to the play ground. Jack went inside, pretending he was going to the bathroom, but instead he snuck into the teachers lounge, he stood on the tips of his toes as he poured the test tube content into the staff teapot.

-------

Jack slowly opened his eyes, he was staring at a rusty ceiling. He sat up feeling terribly weak, he had just recently fed and it felt like he hadn't, he pushed the corpse off his bed and stood up. Jack caught sight of his reflection, his eyes were slowly returning to their unearthly blue. He took a glance at the dead woman lying naked on the floor, her skin was deathly pale and her eyes remained wide open, but her expression was blank. Even though she had spent the last few moments of her life screaming her head off in terror. A few lumps were protruding under her skin around her neck, from her fractured vertebrae. During her struggle, he had attempted to silence her, but in the process he had sharply twisted her neck back at a dodgy angle. The woman had panicked because she had felt like something was being drained from her after her orgasm, and she didn't fail to notice Jack's eyes which had slowly turned crimson.

Jack sat down on the bed. 'The other bag packers are going to wonder where their friend is...could just say she's using the bathroom, no...or else they'll come in and use it...Catrina could be found or heard.' He leaned forward with his head in his hand, he could feel himself getting weaker again. He hated being an Incubus, it wasn't to what it was all cracked up to be. Jack was still worried about how he was going to cope with Catrina. He knew he wasn't going to be able to have any fun with her, if he touched her something could start. 'How am I supposed to keep her in check with out touching her?'

He needed to eliminate the bag packers, and take their souls. They had to be on the boat because it's the only way to keep them in one place, a place separated from the rest of the world. The massacre in the bar had been pointless, he had claimed every single persons soul in that Alaskan bar, but they would remain there, so it would be harder to for him to control them, or transport them to hell. Jack glanced at his watch 5:00 pm. He scratched his scalp and yawned tiredly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Maureen had been walking down the same bit of tunnel for 10 minutes, every bit of natural light had gone, and her torch shone brightly on the ground below. She brushed her hand over the walls either side of her as she walked, the rock was rough and crumbly. 'What if there's gas down here?' She hadn't taken any precautions with her.

Suddenly the earth above her head began to shake violently, she shone her light upwards worried about a cave in, she had taken her eyes off the path ahead of her and then - drop. Maureen yelped as she tumbled down a steep slope, she landed with a thud at the bottom. When she raised her head, her eyes came to a fire burning magnificently in a grate a few yards away from her, she groaned as she lifted herself off the floor.

"Mrs Dodge." Maureen jumped in surprise when a dark figure stepped out of the corner and into the fire light.

"Do I know you?" Maureen edged away little, still taking in her surroundings.

"I wouldn't say you know me, but I know you...and over half the population of the Night World know about you." The person lowered their hood, thick black waves of hair tumbled out over a pair of pointed ears, their dazzling purple eyes focused on Maureen's shocked stare. "Permit me to introduce myself, I am Pavlov, Priestess of the Night World."

Maureen stood still, gaping at her.

"It's not as impressive as it sounds, for really I am but a mere mistress of the Priest...which is kind of -"

" -Were you expecting me?" Maureen butted in impatiently.

"Ah-well, when we heard you and your husband call, we opened up our little porthole...well I did, all I needed to do was wait, and here you are!"

"So are you going to help me?"

"Sorry... no can do honey, helping is not the type of thing I do."

"Well then what is the type of thing you do, who's side are you actually on?"

"I don't take sides Mrs Dodge." Pavlov placed her arms behind her back, and walked about slightly. "I'm somebody that stands on the boarder and observes the goings on of both worlds. So far I'm a bit confused with your daughters...situation."

Maureen stiffed. "Situation."

Pavlov tilted her head to the side and smiled. "Yes, it seems to me she is a cross between being in great danger and being perfectly safe at the moment." Maureen's mouth had gone dry, she bit her lip in anticipation.

"C-can you explain to me why?"

"Certainly my dear." Pavlov waved her hand. Maureen heard a swishing sound, followed by bash in the back of the knee, she yelped as she fell back into a chair. The priestess had made her way to the fire place, her arm rested casually on the mantel. "Ever since management noticed Jack was getting obsessed with Catrina - Oh...you do know who I mean by Management don't you?"

Maureen nodded in response.

"Well management thought if they gave Jack promotion early he would take more of an interest in his new powers and finish off Catrina like that." The priestess snapped her fingers as she said the last two words. Maureen dug her fingers angrily into the arm chair. "But he didn't, instead he accepted his new powers with remorse and is at the moment concerned about Catrina's safety."

Epps furrowed her eyebrows and stood up. "Concerned...that's good isn't it? He won't hurt Catrina."

The priestess held a disapproving look on her face. "Yes- I thought you would like that, but management don't. Jack is still working on his new job, but not enough."

"-Because of Catrina?

"Yes, know listen." Pavlov flicked her hand out and an invisible hand knocked Maureen back into her seat. "Catrina could be disposed of by management, if that happens, you won't be happy and Jack won't be happy. He would be so angry he might do something such as; give up his job or worse, turn against the big bad."

"Woaw...Catrina is at the centre of a little war in the night world, wouldn't the big bad just take away his new powers...if they know that's bothering him."

Pavlov walked towards a table which appeared next to Maureen's chair. "They would - but they can't just get rid of them just like that...it's time consuming process. Also they believe if they give it time, Jack will eventually let his feelings dominate his conscience, and kill Catrina with his new powers." She waved her hand over the table and two glasses containing a see-through orangey liquid appeared on it's surface.

"What sort of powers do you speak of?" Maureen questioned taking a glass which Pavlov was now offering her.

"Well fire ball manifestations, and a thing I like to call 'night night glances'" Maureen shifted uncomfortably, Pavlov took a sip of her whisky before continuing. "It's all within a standard incubus package."

Maureen stiffed -time had stopped around her and she felt totally cold. She swallowed back tears of fear and sadness. Her eyes looked up to see Pavlov looking down at her questioningly.

"By the look on your face I assume you know what an incubus is."

Maureen nodded and chucked her whisky down her throat, she placed the glass on the arm and fondled with the rim as she spoke. "My baby...my angel, imprisoned on a ship with a..." Maureen felt lose for words.

"-Sex maniac?"

"No."

"-Pervert?"

"No -well yes, but."

"-Nice pervent?"

"Can you stop finishing off my sentences!...What I was going to say from the start was a sexually frustrated Jack."

"-Hm better." Pavlov nodded while pursing her lips. "You know what I think?" She placed her butt on the arm of the chair.

Maureen slid over to one side not giving her a glance. "What?"

"I think this is the perfect time to rescue her." Pavlov ran a hand through her black hair, and then flipped it over shoulder. "It seems to me he doesn't want to hurt her."

"But he could - just one mistake could harm her, and if he denies what he wants and gets sidetracked...Catrina will be killed by management, and if I go and rescue her...I'll be killed by Jack." Maureen leaned forward and put her head in her hands.

"Ouch, when you put it like that, the rescue does seem a little scandalous."

"-Scandalous...but doable."

Pavlov gave a little nod and went over to the fire place to warm her hands. Maureen watched her with ease, with a thoughtful gaze pressed on her features. "Are you going to help me?"

Pavlov smiled inwardly and turned towards her company. "I don't do help remember...I just pass on information...or give advice."

"-The last time I looked, to pass on information and giving advice was helping." Epps heaved herself out the chair. "Is there anything else you can tell me which will help me on my future journey."

The black haired woman pouted her lips attentively, while swishing the remaining droplets of her whisky in the glass. "Nothing springs to mind."

Maureen stared at her strangely as she slowly backed away and turned to go back the way she came.

---------------------------------------------------------

Catrina shook at random as she lay curled up in a ball on her bed, she had the eerie feeling something bad was going to happen. She rolled over onto her back, and tilted her head back so she was looking upside down at the porthole - Life was passing her by and she had no way of stopping it or changing it. Catrina hastily pushed herself up, her hair cascaded around her shoulders as she narrowed her eyes on the door. 'Probably locked.' Her feet went over the side of the bed and onto the floor, she walked towards the door and tugged on the handle, it remained stuck. She pouted her lips and rolled her hips round as she turned and headed to the porthole. A sigh escaped her lips, as she contemplated her hatred for Jack once again...then right on schedule a sudden pang in her stomach would follow. Normally she would get these when she was either thinking of what her and Robert might get up to in the back of a car in lovers lane, or the result of a bad breakfast burrito. 'Quit it with the sappy thinking, and get down to business.' Catrina balled her hands up into fists, either she was going to knock the door down or barricade it.

Catrina grabbed the armchair and pulled it away from the door and then with all her might, rammed it into the door. The outer wood splintered inward, she pulled the chair back and pushed it forward again to get the desired effect, after a great crack...a hole had ripped through the door, big enough for her to climb through. She carefully stepped through and trotted down the corridor.

Catrina hadn't yet decided where she wanted to go, but she knew where she shouldn't go...firstly not down the stairway and secondly not into the room she believed to be Jack's. Her womanly intuition - common knowledge told her never walk into a room which belongs to a man who could have indecently assaulted you. 'Well duh.'

'Well I can fight him off if I have to.' Catrina found herself laughing at her own statement, and put down her tightly clenched fists which she had unintentionally held in front of her. What was she kidding trying to fight off Jack, she was a half developed woman, and he was a fully grown man...with a nice neck. She stalled as her thought caught up with her, after mentally kicking herself she continued down the length of the corridor. Suddenly without warning a door opened behind her further down the hall, she frightfully jumped around, her hand had came up over her mouth. A dim light was shining through the open doorway, and no one was between the frame. Catrina nervously backed away, hoping against hope she would have managed to turn the corner before Jack or anybody could come into view. She was too busy concentrating on the door to notice Jack standing behind her, holding an open bed blanket as if waiting to abduct her.

A secret smile played on his lips. 'This is going to be a lot of fun.' He waited patiently as she slowly backed up, her arm briefly touched the sheet and just before she could jump away, the blanket enshrouded her - she was wrapped up like a sausage roll. Catrina's cry was muffed slightly as he scooped her up and carried her back to her room. She was terrified of the tight space, and the lack of air, so Catrina fidgeted helplessly in his arms. What made it worst was she could feel herself getting turned on by the warmth radiating off his body on the other side of the sheet. Her ears picked up his shallow breathing, 'Surely he wasn't having trouble carrying her.' She felt her bum touch the floor, and the tightness around her waist disappear, Catrina raked her dishevelled self out of the heap of cotton.

"Jack can't you get me from one place to another with manha-." She noticed he was just standing in the doorway over her with his eyes closed.

Catrina pushed the hair out of her face while adding "What are you doing?"

Jack took a sharp intake of breathe, he squinted one eye to look at her. "Stay in this room."

"You can't tell me what to do."

Jack huffed out an amused laugh showing his pearly whites. "Honey I've been telling people what to do most of my life, if you think I'm going to listen to you... then you're pretty much stupid."

Catrina got up. "Well you're a stupid little prick, who should get a life instead of wasting it on idiotic bargains."

"-Spoilt brat."

"Murderer!" Catrina added, kicking the blanket towards his feet.

His eyes were still closed as he angrily stepped over the blankets towards her, she sucked in her lips timidly as her worried eyes looked up at him. Jack tipped his neck to the side. "Don't call me a murderer...think of me as the bogeyman." He said huskily. Catrina's lips parted subtlety, she stared at his closed eyelids.

"Why Catrina...I can smell your fear, and I can smell your -"Jack dug his fingers into his palms, he could hear his heart beating...which wasn't a good sign. Catrina saw that he was backing out into the corridor, his handsome features strained. She watched as he rolled his head while closing the door at a snail's pace. She heard the click of the locks, then a large metal panel slid in front of the gap at the bottom of the door from the outside. Catrina eerily waited for Jack footsteps to disappear before barricading the door.

As Jack entered his room, he opened his eyes, they were pink. "I was being so fucking careful!" He then slumped onto his bed breathlessly. 'First I'll nap then I'll feed.'

---------------------------------------------------------

Catrina held her right hand, it was shaking violently. She pressed it to her lips to calm it. The energy in the room had gone warm, and somehow sensual. She crossed her arms in front of her and gripped the hem of her shirt as she pulled it off. A light draft blew on her bare skin, and she looked towards the door wearily. Her green orbs came across a small pale figure leaning against the door.

"Katie?"

"I see you haven't made much of an attempt to get off this ship." Katie floated forwards with her arms tucked neatly behind her back. The sunlight passed through her transparent form, her face which was similar to Catrina's, held a dull happiness.

"I've made many attempts- non have been successful, it's hard when you've got nothing to get on when I've got off the ship."

"Oh you mean like a dingy, or a life boat?"

"Well yes." Catrina observed her younger twin while crossing her fingers in front of her. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find one, would you?"

Katie pursed her lips. "I've kept an old dingy under the floorboards in my wardrobe."

Catrina rolled her eyes irritably. "You could of told me that before."

"Sorry... Are you going now, 'cause if you are thinking about it...now's the best time -Jack's having his afternoon rest before he goes off feeding."

"Err- goes off feeding?"

"Yes, you know when I said Jack was a soul collector?"

Catrina looked up at the ceiling unconvincingly. "Vaguely."

Katie narrowed her eyes, and placed her hands on her hips. "You still don't believe me do you?"

"What is there to believe...some cock and bull about black magic and devil worshipping?" Catrina sat down on her bed. Katie copied her actions.

"You have to believe it because it's true...he is trapping us all here to fill his quota." Catrina looked off to the side and rolled her eyes as Katie spoke. "Worst of all he collects souls differently now, he can only drain souls using sex."

Catrina snapped her head around. "You're a bit young for talking about those type of things?"

"What sex?...Naaa, I've seen some pretty nasty stuff over the years."

Catrina's eyes looked down at her sympathetically "I bet you have." She stiffly patted the air of where Katie's hand was. "So Jack." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Can he produce sexual energy, you know like...the lusting after type."

"He certainly can." Katie replied watching hopefully as Catrina stood up with the look of bewilderment on her face. "Ah- I think you starting to believe me."

"Err...I don't think so."

Katie disappeared and startled Catrina by reappearing in front of her. "He does have magical powers Catrina, given to him by the devil, well, when I say devil I mean bad people." Catrina circled around Katie as she bit her nails in thought. "Has there been anything in your life you have been unable to explain?"

Catrina froze, and looked back concerningly at the little girl. "My dad, one time...went flying through a door?" Katie nodded intriguingly. "Also I believe Jack was disguised as my mum, before I was abducted." The little girl approach her and placed her icy hand on Catrina's arm.

"I think it's time for you to start believing." Katie said in a low whisper, a glint appeared in her eye. "I might have to show you."

Catrina felt slightly aggravated as she felt a terrible chill pass through her shoulder as Katie's hand came up, for few seconds Catrina felt she was being guided into a refrigerator, her stomach did a flip and jolted slightly as she felt the returning presence of the room. She looked at Katie questioningly, who was returning the same look. "Katie...what just happened?"

The little girl looked into her sheet pale hands perplexly. "Nothing...but something was supposed to happen."

"Like what?"

Katie looked up to reply. "It was supposed to transport you to a past memory." Katie raised her hand wondrously towards Catrina's shoulder. "It won't allow you to go through."

Catrina smiled weakly while looking downward, she then stood up to put on a new shirt. Katie watched her slightly baffled. She could read the fear and innocence in her eyes, but the rest of her face held a determined expression. 'Keep fighting Catrina...keep fighting.' The little girl's form disappeared through a wall.

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Dodge bashed his feet up against the side of the hole in his basement while whistling a merry tune. His eyes wondered to the ceiling which had small grains of dirt falling from it, caused through the recent earthquake. He brought his head back to the tunnel his wife had disappeared down, a beam from a torch was flickering across his boots and a sense of relief came to his well being.

"Maureen is that you?"

A set of dirt incrusted finger nails came around the side of tunnel entrance, he smiled slightly to see the top of a woman's head merge from the darkness. Maureen looked up earnestly at her husband. "We're in deep shit."

"Why what happened?" He brought his hand down for her to reach, she gratefully took it and pulled herself out of the hole. When Dodge looked full on at Maureen's face he noticed her eyes were red and puffy, he returned a grave look. "She's not dead is she."

"No Dodge she's not." She ran a hand across her damp eyes, she sucked in a breath. "Dodge, I want you to go upstairs and pack some clothes for me and you, then I want you to load it in the car." She brushed pass Mike towards a table.

"Honey what's going on...are we going to get her now?"

"We sure are?" Maureen grabbed her tool box, and shoved it into a duffel bag nearby.

Her husband rushed towards her and placed a hand over the tool box to prevent her from loading it up any further. "Shouldn't we make a plan first?"

"Nope."

"I'm not going without a plan...that's suic-"

"Dodge listen to me...we have to get to that boat now."

"This seems awfully familiar?" Dodge added, his wife turned around releasing what he meant. 'I want you and dodge to stay here and control the rudder.' '-But you just sai'  
'Dodge listen to me.'

"Dodge we don't have to think back to the past, only forward."

"Maureen we've been trying to do that our whole lives, and look where it's got us, we take our eyes off of Catrina for a few years and then look what happens."

"I know, I know, but going down memory lane is not going to get our daughter off the ship, is it." Maureen forcefully knocked Dodge's hand off the toolbox and zipped up the duffel bag, she then pushed by him and hurried up stairs. Dodge was in hot pursuit behind her.

"Oh yes trying to put out of your head who's fault it is in the first place!" He exclaimed grabbing her wrist. Maureen whirled around, she looked close to tears.

"How dare you say that, how dare you bring that up!"

"-Well it's true, the reason Catrina's on that ship is because of you!"

"We wouldn't of had a daughter in the first place if I hadn't saved you, Greer wouldn't have been married, Munder wouldn't have found his true career, and Murphy wouldn't have said what he had said." Maureen yelled glaring into Mike's face. "I was stupid okay, but at the time my intensions were good...I was hoping Jack would have forgot the bargain."

Her husbands face softened a little. "Well he hadn't Maureen, he hadn't." His wife's lip was still quivering from her speech she had made as she slowly sunk down, water leaked from her eyes.

"It's all my fault Dodge, it's all my fault." Her husband sunk down to the floor with her, his eyes full of compassion.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm sorry I brought it up." He stroked her hair as he guided her head towards his shoulder. "Please tell me what you saw down there."

"It wasn't what I saw, it's what I found out." She mumbled into his shoulder, snuffling slightly.

"And what was that?"

Maureen brought her head up. "Never you mind...let's just get going, I'll explain on the way." She pulled herself up and headed for the door, her husband lurched in front of her.

"Honey, honey, honey, we're not leaving until you tell me."

Epps released a sigh. "Fine...Jack's an incubus, happy!"


	11. Road rage, minus the road

WARNING SEXUAL CONTENTS LATER IN CHAPPIE!

"Slow down!"

"Who's the one driving here!" Maureen's knuckles were white around the steering wheel. "I said I wanted to save our daughter, not get a ticket for curb crawling!" She sharply turned the wheel to dodge past a white van, causing her to scrape into a passing vehicle in the other lane, which beeped furiously at her.

"These people know nothing of road rage!" Maureen growled. Her husband sitting next to her was cringing in his chair, and was tightly gripping the edges of the passenger seat.

"Maybe I should drive?"

"-Too late hun, I'm already at the wheel."

"Pull over the car...and we'll swap."

Maureen twisted her head round. "No!"

"-Eyes on the road!" Maureen jerked to one side, steering the car from right to left. Dodge watched in horror, as a they narrowly missed a school bus. "Jesus Christ!"

"You could say that again." Epps sighed.

Dodge eyed her, to see if she had calmed down. "Maureen, are we heading out to the airport or the coast."

"The coast...we're taking the Arctic Warrior 2, it's the only way I can think of smuggling weapons"  
She side glanced at Mike wearily. "...And the explosives."

"Explosives?"

"They might work, you said shooting the bastard would slow him down...so I'm assuming good old TNT might totally destroy him."

"Oh so you're going to light a stick of dynamite and just hope he would be stupid enough to pick it up, and just hold it for a little while, good plan!"

"I was thinking more along the lines of blowing up the ship...with him on it."

"-And that would make Catrina- oh let me think- DEAD!"

Maureen narrowed her eyes at Dodge. "I would get Catrina off first."

"We're supposed to kill Jack first...then get Catrina. Jack's not going to just let her walk off the boat Maureen." Dodge settled back down in his seat, and stared out of the window. "You better slow down, there's cops up ahead." He felt the sudden pressure on his back leave, and the rumbling of the car around him reduce. The inside of the car fell silent, as if someone had literally pressed the mute button on a TV remote. As always the cops would stare out any passing vehicle suspiciously, waiting to take chase at any unusual activity. Maureen remained focused on the cars in front of her as she felt a policeman's eye burn into the side of her head. After 40 seconds, she heard her husband sigh with relief, she put her foot down once more and weaved through the traffic.

"What do you think would of happened if they had pulled us over and searched the boot (trunk)...they would have found a load of guns and a load of TNT!"

"We could of said we work for a demolition company?"

"-With guns!"

"A mafia demolition company?" Maureen suggested with a hint of laughter, Dodge gave her a disapproving look. "Oh come on you're no fun anymore."

"I thought we were focusing on our daughter's crisis?"

"Yeah..." She said rather high pitched. "But I was just squeezing in that little bit to lighten the mood. Jeez-Louise, I can't wait to reunite you with Munder...now that'll get your sense of humour back."

Dodge rubbed his rugged patch on his jaw line. "Everybody kind of lost there sense of humour after the incident Maureen." His voice dropped slightly and he shrunk in his seat. "Experiencing death - the pain of it, the sensation of your heart stopping, the intake of your last breath." His wife took her eyes of the road for a second to look at him sympathetically. "-And finally you take your last look at the world around you, then darkness falls."

"It must of been horrible." Maureen hesitated before patting his shoulder. "I would ask how you died...but I don't think I want to know."

"After all these years, we've never really came to the subject. It seemed every time we were about to go to the subject, one of us would leave the room...before the other asked questions."

"Yeah. After I had made the deal, it was kind of sereal, we knew what we had to do- fix the boat, even though 'you' weren't asked to, and you weren't totally aware about the deal. We just got on with it like zombies, we didn't talk...we never saw Jack, but soon as the boat was fixed we sorta..."Epps closed her mouth and stared straight ahead at the up coming junction. She didn't know how to explain it.

"-Went to sleep." Dodge finished, at almost a whisper. His wife steadily nodded still staring mystically ahead. "Then we woke up, sitting in that bar with a..."

"-Hangover."

"Yeah. We all went our separate ways from then on, except for us...and Murphy. We only contacted the others through letters, I remember sending them each a picture of Catrina when she was five years old. The last time I wrote to them was 6 years ago, and now, we've arranged to meet them at the coast, to prepare to go to back to very thing that screwed our lives up."

"I wouldn't say screwed our lives up, if we hadn't of gone, we would have been still working on the Arctic Warrior, day in and day out together, but 'apart', never getting on with a normal life."

"We don't have a normal life now, we would have been better as we were just the six of us as a family on a boat."

"What...and not be married, is that what you mean!"

Dodge realising he had said it in the wrong way, elaborated aggravatedly. "Err...no, we still could of got married, but we would be still on the boat." 

"Dodge, you wouldn't of had admitted your feelings me if we hadn't had gone through the Antonia Graza ordeal. And your missing the point if I would of married you then, I wouldn't have wanted to spend the rest of my life with you and the other 4 men on board." Maureen heatedly jerked the steering wheel to one side, as her husband cringed at her angered form.

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Catrina sat with her back against the wall under the porthole, focusing on the door, praying no one would come through it. No matter who it was, she didn't feel like talking to them, she wanted to be alone, alone with her thoughts, and fears. Her eyelids slowly fluttered closed, she felt herself drop and she suddenly jerked awake. Catrina felt like if she did nod off, something unpleasant would happen to her. She still found it hard to believe what Katie had told her, and yet she was sitting there fearing it. Darkness began to fall within the room as little by little the sun began to set, the atmosphere was bitter and she imagined her own screams piercing the deadly silence. Then as if on cue - she heard a distant door creak open, slow footsteps padded along the landing -she jumped up leaning against the wall. The patter went by her door and quickly faded away further into the ship. Her heartbeat quickened at the returning peace.

'Where was he going?'

Catrina pushed her trainers away from her, and slid down the wall. The remaining light in the room made her eyes sparkle a little, and gave the impression she had teared up.

After a while nothing happened. She had grown a fascination in scratching her name on the wooden flooring, as she did this she mumbled. 'Oh lord...why do you hate me.' She looked upwards, and found herself inspired to speak out loud.

"Somebody help me, I know I'm only a young maiden with a heart like a withered old woman, and on some occasions a foul mouth, but I'm not all that...I'm frightened, in need of a prince to sweep me of my feet." A faint smile came on her face as her childish mind wound up. "Robert maybe -yeah Robert...whatever, I have been imprisoned by a so called demon." She clamped her mouth shut to prevent her from saying '..with a nice neck.'. She drew a deep breath before continuing. "Why mother have you not come, are you still angry with me...or are you just accepting the fact that I have been taken because of a deal you made years ago?" She hugged her knees to her chest, her eyes surveyed the door once more. "Maybe I don't need your help...maybe I can get out of this situation on my own." She released a sigh and looked off to the side.

As Catrina sat there alone in the dark, she felt lower than her age which was the first time for her. Normally when she reached a new age she would have the mind and the attitude of someone three years older than her, her childhood had somehow felt rushed. She could speak in full sentences before she reached 3, by the time she was 6 she could read any book and every book in her house, when she was 9 she began planning life after school, when she was 11; apart from getting braces, Catrina dyed her hair black and went through a gothic stage, which lasted 2 years, by then she had developed a little interest in boys, and sex had become a big issue at school. Everybody was doing it with no thought of commitment or even the consequences. Catrina had a few boyfriends just like every other girl, while she would be walking hand in hand with a guy from a science revision class, other girls her age would be screwing members of the football team in the same night. After she got her braces removed, she was known to all the guys in school as a stunner. Various boys from all over the neighbourhood fancied her, but they mainly fancied her because she had a few things some other girls didn't have; her virginity, self respect, pride, and a natural pretty face. When she was sixteen, and the upcoming prom was getting closer, various boys were falling over each other to get to her first, but she knew better, she knew perfectly well they would try and drag her to a 'after prom' party -get her pissed, and try to screw her in a cupboard. So she decided to accept Derek Johnson's hand when going to the prom. He was a library squatter -someone that spent 85 of their time in the library, 10 playing football, 5 eating. He looked so innocent... until he gave her a ride home, which put her off boys for a year. That's until her best friend Emma' dragged her to Adam's house party, the first ten minutes were fun, then she collapsed onto the sofa with a bunch of other teenagers to rest, while her mates danced or 'went upstairs.' Then as if by magic she locked eyes with a man laughing with his friends by the fire place. Robert. Turned out he was one of the Goths she used to hang out with at a cult when she was 11, and he had had his eyes on her since the prom.

'Robert, sweet Robert.' Catrina hugged her legs tighter to her as if it were him.

Suddenly a scream surged upwards from the bow of the ship, Catrina jumped up with a start and pressed herself further into the wall behind her. It was a woman's scream. Her eyes were shining as she stared awkwardly at the door, not knowing whether to attempt a rescue. Another scream erupted from the bow of the ship, it rung terrifically in her ears, and her stomach plummeted as it abruptly finished. Something started in Catrina, she had a leap of faith, she ran forward and began kicking at the metal panel attached to the bottom of the door. Pain shot through the bones of her toes, as her feet continually connected with the solid metal. Then the metal finally gave way and flopped uselessly onto the landing. Catrina scurried through the gap, and she was already running ahead before fully standing up. The corridors were long and dark, and she hurtled through them like no body's business. She ran through Francesca's form which had suddenly floated out of a side wall to try and prevent her from running any further.

"Come back 'ere at once!" She ignored Francesca's command and ran into another corridor. Catrina knew she wouldn't forgive herself if she didn't save that persons life. From out of the blue - a ghostly hand came through a door on her left followed by the rest of the body, Katie grabbed her arm in mid run.

"No Catrina don't! Normally I would encourage people to rescue innocents, but this time it's a no no - Don't go when he is working...he would be in the wrong mood." Catrina whipped her arm away from her.

"Katie...I can't let them die!"

"You can't stop Jack...he's in the middle of the draining process." Katie shrieked desperately trying to keep up with her.

"Are you still on about the soul thingy again!"

"I would let you go and see it for yourself so you can believe me, but now is not the time." Katie was skipping through corners to stay by Catrina's side. And as always ghost heads would be popping out of walls at any bit of commotion.

"I'm sorry Katie but I can't sit around waiting for people to get hurt-"

"Sometimes you have no choice!" Katie clutched Cartina's forearms, close to tears.

"Sorry Katie." Catrina jerked her arms away, while rushing past her. Her heart was breaking at the desperation in the little girl's voice, but she had to do what she thought was right. Her determination had brought her this far, she couldn't turn her back on it now. Even if it meant tackling Jack to the ground to get the woman to run ahead she would strive to do it. She heard murmuring further down the hall, her trainers padded on the rough flooring and they came to a dramatic stop in front of a door. Her muscles twitched slightly as she eyed the door knob. She placed her hand on the brass handle. Even though the brass was ice cold, she could feel pulses of energy igniting within her palm. She sighed before forcefully opening the door. The heat in the room was intoxicating, and it came at her in waves, which blew her hair back from the side of her face. She looked about her - full of ease but uncertainty, and she remained dithering in the doorway as if preparing to back off. The room was a type of storage room, cardboard boxes were stacked on top of each other right up to the ceiling, and newspapers littered the floor, apart from that...the room appeared to be empty. Catrina turned towards the door, to retreat into the corridor...when suddenly a blood curdling scream rung out, she froze in mid-step - the colour drained from her cheeks - the sound was coming from right behind her.

She spun around, she couldn't see anything, then she peered around a stack of boxes. Catrina stared horrifically at the scene before her. Jack was topless, and he had a semi nude woman pinned under him, she was hoarsely screaming, trying to push Jack away from her, who was jerked into her forcefully. Jack seemed to be concentrating on what he was doing, ignoring the woman's pleas and efforts of escape, he hadn't even noticed Catrina standing behind him, the woman on the other hand was reaching out to her. Catrina stood frozen to the spot her mouth hung open in shock, then as if an invisible hand had slapped her across the face, she leapt forward onto Jack's back. Her arms came up around his neck and she pulled all her weight back, trying to prize him off the woman.

"GET OFF HER YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH!"

Jack wasn't paying attention, so she kicked, scratched and bit. The woman had now gone pale, and her eyes were rolling in their sockets. Catrina in panic cried. "Stay with me, don't pass out!" In her desperation she covered Jack's nose and mouth with her hand. "Why are you doing this Jack, why"  
She suddenly sensed him come out of his trance, and his hands released the woman, she sunk to the floor. His hands then flew up to prize Catrina's hands away. Her worry over the woman's life had gone, and she was now concerned about her own, he was going to be pissed. He was staggering around the room dragging Catrina with him who was still hanging off his back and attached to his face. Jack then unexpectedly bent forward, causing Catrina to flip over his shoulder and onto the floor. She sat up, her heart was racing, Jack was still bent forward, he had his hands on his knees trying to catch his breathe. He finally looked up, his eyes were blood red. Catrina stared into them fearfully, wondering what was going to happen next. Jack was looking her up and down hungrily, then his eyes softened into a fearful stare and he averted his eyes towards the lifeless woman behind him. He zipped himself up and walked across the room to retrieve his shirt, he could feel Catrina's gaze burning into his bare back. He slipped into his familiar green shirt feeling slightly angry and ashamed. He brought his attention back to Catrina who was spawned out on the floor, her eyes were staring off to the side at the woman sadly. He didn't feel like saying anything. Jack took a step forward, and her eyes rushed back to him her chest heaving.

"Catrina." He felt annoyed at the concern and guilt he was feeling. He took another step forward trying to look as innocent as possible. "Cat?"

Then just what he was expecting, she her eyes widened as she screamed in terror. Then he made the mistake of coming forward into her recovery zone. Jack's heart skipped a beat as his attempt at trying to comfort her failed as she bolted out the door. 


	12. Beyond Pain, Memory lane

_Now I like the way I wrote this chapter, funner, I used a bit of references with the '-' this time I checked through it for any mistakes...and I hope I haven't missed any. Sorry for the swearing...but don't forget it is an M...It'll only get worse. --Flashback at ending that wasn't included in film---_

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Francesca hurried out onto the deck, utter chaos had broken out on board - some of the ghostly passengers were pacing impatiently, while others were leaning over the side of the ship in fascination. "What 'tis going on!" She stood centre deck waiting for an answer, everybody ignored her. "Did I miss somesing?" She rolled her eyes in annoyance and scurried over to Katie who was perched on a stoop.

"Brat, where's Jack and zee girl!" Katie twisted her head around, her eyes were round like saucers.-

"-Have you been on another planet, Jack is overboard!" Fran froze. "...And the reason that is because, Catrina is overboard!" Without another word the Italian woman darted over to the railings. Jack's head was bobbing up down amidst the waves, he yelled out Catrina's name, then took a deep breath and sunk beneath the surface. She pulled herself straight and glanced at the other passengers- realising they had to go.

"Okays...okays, notsing to see 'ere." She waved her arms around to shun them away as Katie came up behind her.

"They have the right to be here." She was close to tears. "They could help spot Catrina further away."

"Fine, you!" Francesca brought her gloved finger up to point at a steward. "Go to zee 'elm, Roy - starboard side, Enrico- back, and Katie-"

"Uh, not on your pass-life sweety, I'm staying here." She folded her arms bitchily.

"Suit yourself."

The bow of the ship cast a dark shadow over the waters making it hard to see, luckily another one of his powers had kicked in, and his eyes shone bright blue through the depths of the gloomy sea. Jack used his arms to pull himself deeper. A lump formed in his throat as he looked from side to side. No sign of Catrina, it was as if she had passed through another dimension soon as she hit the water. Everything was muted and slowed down within the water, his eyes stared out the darkness below him. If she had sunk to the bottom she was out of his reach. He wondered how she had managed to sink, she wasn't particularly heavy, and there was no way she couldn't swim, for she was brought up into a family of natural born swimmers. Jack was snapped from his thoughts when a fist sized bubble floated up past his face, his eyes returned to the depth below, he kicked hard at the water above him and brought himself down.

-"How long can he stay down there?" Katie squatted while clutching a bar of the railings. Francesca observed her standing up.

"Pretty long while, you still haven't explained to me 'ow she got over board?"

"Well she just sorta...fell, well I would say jumped in panic, cause Jack was coming at her...you know."

"I would of done zee same sing if I could." An unknown peace had came between the two as they stood on the deck.

Meanwhile underwater, Jack had caught sight of something chestnut floating below, he lowered himself and his eye-beams cast a shimmer of light onto a face, Catrina. Brown hair floated gracefully about her head, and her pretty face was looking slightly more peaceful than usual, he would have smiled but she looked lifeless as hell. His hands pulled around her waist, but her body refused to budge, Jack clawed down her body to reach the source of the problem, a ropey cord had took refuge tightly round her ankle, connected to a steel lope and a few rivets on the side of the boat. He easily snapped the cord with his bare hands, and he seized Catrina around the waist and swam up. As he broke the surface, he was greeted by an intense cold air and an "Oh my god" from above. Once he had teleported himself and Catrina to the deck, he lay her down on the floor. Katie almost immediately ran over and crouched down next to her.

"Catrina?" She shook her hand delicately, while staring into her pale face. "I don't think she's got a pulse."

Jack shook his head, while gritting his teeth behind his pursed lips. He placed a hand on Catrina's jaw and pushed her head upwards, then shook it slightly. "Come on Catrina, wakey wakey." Katie was surprised at how calm he was. A look of realisation then passed across Jack's aristocratic face. "Shit." He hastily pinched her nose and opened her mouth -sealing it with his own mouth, breathing for her. This was the first time their lips had met - for more than 2 seconds. He crossed his hands over her chest and began to press down forcefully, her head jolted with every pump, but her face remained expressionless. Katie was counting as phantom tears rolled down her cheeks. Francesca was watching the scene before her in shock.

_1,2,3 (breathe) 1,2,3 (breathe) 1,2,3 (breathe) 1,2,3 (breathe) 1,2,3 (breathe) _

Jack had begun shaking with anger, as his attempt at saving her was failing. He found himself saying "Fucking breathe God damn it!" As he pumped her chest. The one thing that was upholding the deal was her, not to mention a nice thing to torture himself over. He felt pain, an unknown pain to him, the feeling of helplessness...the feeling of heartbreak, and yet he was inches away from sniggering at the pain he was feeling, the pain that Catrina would be feeling - But maybe that was his other side. He had known her since she was four, he had first seen her when she five, and now she was dieing before him...with or without his permission.

Francesca blurred out at random, after witnessing 10 minutes of drama. "I sink she long gone by now."

"Shut the fuck up!" Jack's lips then returned to Catrina's once more, thinking it will be his last 3 goes. He was just breathing gently down her throat as he began to feel something - a sudden surge residing deep down in Catrina's lung, a type of gurgling. Jack pulled back just in time to see Catrina's eyelids flutter open as she lifted her head and began to cough and splutter up water. His heartstrings tug, as he lifted her back up slightly. A look of utter relief coming to his features. Francesca was shaking her head in annoyance, while Katie was desperately trying to hug Catrina who still wasn't fully aware of where she was. Her aura was strong and it reached Jack's senses almost immediately -an incredible thing it was, her own light which floated about her, in which a few minutes ago had been missing, but now it was back. Her head was leaning into his chest tiredly.

"I'd better get her inside before she catches pneumonia." Jack scooped her up and carried her indoors, closely followed by Francesca and Katie. Droplets of water trailed behind him as he hurried down the hall, he inwardly smiled as he felt her hand beating against his leg and a murmur escape from her lips.

"Shouldn't she be wide awake by now?" Katie piped up, her feet padding along the flooring after him. "I mean you did revive her."

- "Well she was under about 10 minutes, in zat ice cold water -it may 'ave frozen up 'er giunti e muscoli." Francesca was hobbling alongside Katie in her extremely high heels.

"What the hell's giunti e muscoli!"

"I don't know zee ezact terminologee!"

Jack steamed and twisted his neck round. "Girls do me a favour and piss off!" He said in a cold tone, Katie and Francesca coward slightly, then huffed off through a wall. Nothing gave him more pleasure than doing that -well maybe a few other things -But what he didn't need was a bunch of irritating nattering girls on his back.

"I guess it's just you and me now Cat." He chucked her on the bed, then waltzed into the bathroom and came back into the room with some towels, to his surprise Catrina was slowly sitting up. "Woo take it easy." His hand came to her arm, and she jerked away, not looking at him. He didn't take it personally...she had the right to be frightened of him. "Look, I think there's a few things I must explain to you." He started, placing the towel over her head, she immediately pulled it off and threw it across the room, then she jumped off the bed and strode towards the door, Jack got there first and blocked her exit. -"About what happened in the storage room."

- "I already know what happened in the storage room!" She croaked trying to push him out of the way with no prevail.

"You do."

"Yes, and I don't want it to happen to me...now get out of my way or I'll spew all over you!"

She shrieked slightly as he pushed her back away from the door. "It won't happen to you, I'm not that heartless."

Catrina huffed while thinking what a stupid thing to say. "You just killed someone by raping them Jack!"

Damn, putting it like that wasn't going to help. He breathed out with a smile -not a proud smile, more like a 'you silly girl' smile. "It wasn't rape, we had it going on at the start... she just freaked out half way through, and I kept going."

Catrina grit her teeth. "Gee that puts my mind a peace!" She lunged at him, trying to barge her way through to the door. A huge scrap followed, arms blindly flying out at each other, backs being forced against solid walls. But Catrina's previous trauma had caused her weakened body to shut itself down, and she collapsed against him, burying her face into his chest, panting heavily. He held her firmly by the forearms.

"Are you finished?" He asked slightly amused.

"Gimme a sec."

He heard her grunt as she attempted to move, her head lifted a centimetre before it sunk back into his chest with an exhausted sigh, she couldn't even muster up the strength to thump him in the stomach.

"Come on, let me dry you or else you're going to get sick."

"I'm already there."

He looked at her reproachfully. "You're not going to puke on me are you?" He said as he lifted her up with one arm and used the other to carry some towels towards the bed.

"Well if you try anything...just remember -I'm loaded."

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Maureen signalled to her husband to quickly bring the Armaments to the Arctic Warrior 2 -without being seen. Dodge scurried down the slipway, when he reached the boat -he tossed the box to his wife who then secreted it under the sitting-area near the table. Murphy snorted loudly on the couch and immediately sat up. "Sorry dad, just putting these under the table...you go back to sleep."

"Naa...I need to wake up soon anyway."

"Yeah well you take it easy."

"Everybody treats me like an old fart." He growled as he struggled to sit up.

Maureen tried to hide her amused expression as she side glanced at Dodge, he smiled warmly back at her. "Well pops, that's because you are an old fart." He patted him on the shoulder before returning to his fetching and carrying duties.

Murphy stood up stretching his legs. "God damn it the others are late...we did say 4 o'clock right?"

Maureen gazed out the window at a dirt road coming round the side of a hill in the distance. "Yep, but don't worry they'll be here, they said themselves they would never miss a good fight."

"What if we lose?" Her fathers voice came from behind her.

She turned to look at him. "I like to think positive." Murphy gave her a straight smile before de-boarding the boat to help Dodge.

Her attention came back to the surrounding walls of her second home, she had certainly made sure it looked like the Arctic Warrior. She had used the same colour schemes, the same types of furniture, and the same cookware. Her mind went back to the wedding night, she remembered the foreplay - _boy did she remember the foreplay_ - Then she remembered during the kafuffle of their passion, she had heard a clatter - which didn't stop them. After their night of lustful sex, Maureen went to investigate the clatter, and found that her silver heart -given to her by Katie -had somehow snapped off the chain and fell to the floor. It was heartbreaking -_ironically-_ and she had never got round to fixing it.

Maureen's hand rested on a draw handle, she pulled it open, and on view in the draw was a glinting silver heart.

"-Look who I found hanging around outside." Maureen jumped and closed the draw, when she turned around she saw her husband and Munder grinning at her like a bunch of Cheshire cats.

"Oh Munder." She groaned as she hugged him. "Are you a sight for sore eyes."

"Yes Munder, I told you should have wore a brown paper bag over your head." Dodge laughed as he received a punch in the arm from Munder after breaking away from Maureen.

"Well at least I wash my hands after masturbation."

"Munder!" Maureen exclaimed, her voice full of disgust. Maybe bringing the boys together was a bad idea. "If you're going to talk filth...go outside."

"Sorry Epps...just making the place more homey -you know, filling it with my sex talk."

"-And smell." Dodge made spray can hand gestures behind his back. "So that's another one down, how many more are coming?"

"Geer said' he was coming - But he's got a family now, and I really don't think they'll want him to go." Maureen explained, from the corner of her eye she saw Murphy come back into the room.

"-I'm not surprised."

"Yeah well he said 'if anything happens', call me - so I did." Her gut instinct already told her he wasn't coming. She smiled weakly at the others as she turned her back on them to unpack some boxes.

Munder cut through the silence. "Wait a sec, what about Santos?" The others looked at him warningly, and turned to look at Murphy -his back was stiff.

Murphy then spoke lower than a whisper. "Don't think so."

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Catrina didn't feel so good, her lungs felt sore, her head was rattled and she felt extremely hot. Her mind just couldn't rest, earlier on she had drowned after trying to keep herself underwater, then after she had finally decided enough was enough- she tried to swim back up...unfortunately she was stuck on something. Catrina shivered, she had always been frightened of the prospect of death by drowning -but the way she went - it was surprisingly peaceful - but uncomfortable. She remembered after all her oxygen had ran out - she found herself sitting alone in the dark for 10 minutes, she had started screaming, worried that her soul was doomed in limbo- 'cause that's where she felt she was. Then as quickly as she got there - she felt her soul return to the pain and coldness of her body, and Catrina became aware of someone kissing her. An odd sort of kiss...gentle, but it felt like the person was blowing up a balloon than smooching her. Catrina came out of thought and opened her eyes. She was in her room...on the ship. Minutes before she had slept- it had been hectic, Jack had tried to remove her soppy wet clothing - she didn't even have to object, because soon as he had begun he seemed to glaze over, then he left the room without saying a word.

She sat up in bed, her nighty clung to her now clammy skin. Her aching eyes scanned the moonlit room and she found Jack's form sitting on a chair at the front of her bed, a shadow put his top half in darkness. 'What is he worried I'm going to try an' escape?' Catrina noticed he wasn't moving. _Must be sleeping?_ She swung her legs off the bed and was about to get up when -

"Where do you think you're going?" His voice drawled in the room. Catrina froze looking at the ground. -

"I need air."

"Why, are you hot?"

"I'm warm." She said simply standing up.

He leaned forward into a streak of moonlight -so all she could see was his mouth and the glow of his retina. "You sense feverish to me."

"How would you know that?"

Jack pursed his lips. "I have many talents, if you'd listened to me earlier I would of told you all about me."

"Oh what...that you're a soul collector." Her lips quirked slightly into a smile but it dropped when he stood up.

"So you know then?"

"So it's true, you're really are a..-"

"-Soul collector yes - well proper name for it is an incubus."

Catrina's expression was bemused "Is that a technical word for collecting souls ..."She folded her arms uncomfortably. "...Using sex."

She noticed his stillness and wished she'd never said anything.

"Who's telling you all this stuff?" He finally said, making it clear by the tone of his voice that he didn't want her to find out .

Not wanting to get Katie into trouble she quickly answered. "Just somebody, I would of found out anyway."

"Scared?"

"-Excuse me?"

"Scared?...Of me in general."

"Just answer me this..." She released an uneasy sigh. "Do you have any supernatural powers?"

"Yes."

"Well then yes, I am scared of you." Her eyes came up to him then looked away.

Jack felt her fearful stance -and cracked the cold atmosphere by smirking at her -she shuffled away from him. "You know I will never use my powers against you...only if I have to. And I'm not going to put any moves on you, 'cause if I do, I won't be able to stop myself from..." He rubbed the back of his head aggravatedly.

"-Draining me." Catrina sunk down on the bed. "Why."

"Why what?...Why did I take the job, or why am I not wanting to drain you?"

"Both." She observed him through her green eyes. He was swaying slightly with his hands placed cooly in his pockets - then he plonked down next to her.

"First of all I didn't start off like this, I had to begin at a different level. I was just a normal soul collector at first -you know - draw sinners in within their packs - hack them to bits, you know - all that standard shit."

Catrina raised a questioning eyebrow "Right."

"-Then I got promoted, and now I fu-" He glanced at her realising he was freaking her out. "I have sex with sinners -female ones of course - for their souls."

Was she going crazy, she was sitting here listening to a psycho demon telling her about his profession without as much in possession of a weapon. "Wait hold the phone! -and you like this job!"

"Err yeah. But it ain't much fun anymore."

"Why's that?"

Jack's eyes moved to her after coming out of thought, she felt slightly more unsafe. _Like he was going to tell her - 'Cause I can't fuck your brains out, okay?_

"Well it's kind of becoming more like a chore to stay healthy, err...and -" _I can't fuck your brains out...say it!_ "And I'm unable to separate pleasure, from killing. Meaning I can't have sex without some one dieing...so."

"-So you're worried if you have sex with me you'll kill me." She added softly, Jack repentantly nodded. "Gee, I didn't know you cared." She said it as more of a sarcastic remark.

"Well I do so there-" Cutting himself off. "But in the 'deal' sense, you're no good to me dead if I want to uphold the deal." He was sure he caught a glimpse of a hurt expression on her face which then switched to a slowly growing smile.

"So that means I can't be touched." Catrina jumping up beaming, this time it was Jack's turn to look sad and hurt. He grit his teeth -

"Yes." He pushed himself up. "-But I must warn you if I get too close I can easily pop - and even if you are dead, I won't conflict with the deal...it'll just hurt your mother -which I would enjoy may I add." '_But not as mush as keeping you alive_' He mumbled the last bit as he settled back into his chair at the end of the bed. "So watch it." He closed his eyes and faked going off to sleep, he peered through his slits at Catrina scowling at him, then she exhaustedly climbed into bed - her fever had seemed to have gotten worse.

'_Ain't life just a fucking bowl of cherries?' ---Billy Connelly _

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"6 girlfriends, 5 ex-wives , 6 illegitimate children." Munder took a drag from his cigarette. The others looked at him in disbelief.

Dodge was shuffling the cards next to him. "That's not a nice way to live buddy." He then began to deal the cards across the table.

"I've kept in touch with all my exs', just some of them don't want me to see the kids. Well there's one - Amy...she is always willing to invite me round to see little Josh and Moonbeam." " So Greer I've heard you've had a few little ones?"

Greer sat up to reach his pack. "Yeah well...their not exactly little any more, they grow up so fast - a little too fast for me and my Janet's liking. Morgan's just started college, Tara's at junior high, and VJ's starting junior high - the amount of things you got to buy them over the years- especially the girls when they reach their teens."

"We know how you feel." Maureen added with a weak smile as she sat on Dodge's lap. Maureen cut to the edgy question. "It seems like you leaving a lot behind just to catch up with an old grudge?"

"Well...it'll be worth it, it's been nagging on the back of my mind for a while now, cause you can never really forget you death and..." They all hushed down feeling like they had reached a nerve point.

Murphy abruptly cut through the atmosphere with a knife. "So why are you going?"

"I wanna kill bastard -just simple as that."

"Me too."

"Me three." Munder added, they looked over to where Dodge and Maureen were sitting.

"We just want to get our daughter back." Dodge finally said, he then jolted Maureen closer to him. "So when do we leave?"

"It's your boat- whenever you like."

FLASHBACK

_Murphy and the others trudged down a slipway, the sun was gradually going down, casting a warm orange light upon the horizon. Dodge, Santos, Greer and Munder clambered aboard the Arctic Warrior closely followed by Epps -before setting her foot down onto the decking she looked around at Murphy who was waiting for the other man to catch up. _

"_Well here it is Ferriman."_

"_-Nice."_

"_Hope you don't suffer from travel sickness -'cause it's going to be a bumpy ride." Murphy patted him warmly on the back to push him forwards, and he steadily proceeded towards Epps who was standing there watching him. As he walked up the ramp, his fair blue eyes fixed on her, and he gave her a friendly smile. As Maureen returned her smile, everything seemed to slow down as Jack's hands grabbed the railings of the Arctic Warrior, she thought nothing of it as his hand briefly -just briefly- brushed over her stomach while going past her to get onto the deck._

_Maybe it was just an accident, maybe even a coincidence, or maybe he knew something..._


	13. A longer journey down memory lane

Catrina's legs were powering her down a dirt road, a desert landscape was her entire surroundings, dirt flew up in gusts of fog around her feet. She didn't know why she was there, but she had the urge to just keep on running. She abruptly stopped at an abandoned gas station. With her eyes squinted, she looked about her with her hands on her hips. Her eyes rested on the horizon -where a sizzling tarmac road was on view leading towards her and under her feet. Within the hazy heat waves, she saw a truck come into sight, it came towards her, and slowly stopped on the opposite side of the road. Catrina's mum stepped out of the car. "Honey...honey!" Maureen rushed towards her in disbelief, Catrina's heart leapt -she had finally been found. "Mike...come out here it's Catrina!" Dodge stumbled out the truck.

"Catrina what are you doing all the way out here?" Dodge exclaimed as Maureen embraced her. Catrina was lost for words, a lump was tightly lodged in her throat and she was unable to move -shock had paralysed her to the spot. Even though she didn't know how she got there - she felt nothing could spoil the moment - The only problem was the intense heat wave of the desert made her fever go up...not to mention the contents of her stomach, Catrina pulled back from her mum and bent her back to retch. A hand rested on her back, her head came back up and to her surprise she was back on the ship. Utter confusion and fear filled her voice.

"Why am I here...w-what's going on?"

"Sssssh hush now, you're hallucinating." Jack's voice was slow and calming - there was not a trace of disgust in his voice.

Her back remained bent as she stared about her. "Where's the truck...and the desert...and-and my mother!"

"-It was never here Cat...you're sick remember, now lie back down." He said -leaning fully over her body.

"I want to go back."

"Okay...you can go back to your hallucination -But do it in bed." Jack gripped her shoulder and pulled her up straight, his lips lingered by her ear. "Now go." A shudder went through her spine which seemed to automatically cool her down. Catrina didn't recall herself climbing into bed, but found her head slowly sinking into a fluffy pillow - things around her slowly went into darkness and she felt frightfully alone. Her mind was bewildered...she desperately wanted to be rid of the ship...away from Jack, on the other hand she wanted to stay within his company -a murmur escaped her lips and echoed through the darkness "Jack." Then a hand delicately clasped hers.

A sneer came to Jack's lips as her fingers responded and he found his hand being stroked hers. A lingering desire to jump in bed next to her was pretty strong - but he knew he couldn't, she was sick and unaware...and he was -well, dangerously horny. He swiftly flicked his hand out from under hers and proceeded to the door, he gave her a last look over before leaving. He needed violence and some good sex.

--------------------------------------------------

To Murphy's disappointment...Santos arrived one minute shy of their departure. While Dodge and Munder chatted merrily about comical moments within their past, Greer and Santos were bitching about the others on deck. Murphy cast a cautious eye on Maureen who was looking back at him apologetically.

Dodge had begun to raise his voice in his half-drunken state. "-So when me and the Mrs got home...we found Catrina and Emma- her mate, lying on the front garden laughing themselves silly, dressed in batman and robin costumes." Dodge cracked up...as Munder bashed his fist on the table in laughter. "After Maureen and I had pulled ourselves together, we asked them why."

"They didn't tell us anything...but as I was bringing them in the house, I could smell weed on their breath."

Munder rolled his eyes. "Teenagers."

"It only turned out they had found my old stash in the attic." They in unison snorted as their heads slowly sunk to the table in fit of giggles.

"I bet you were furious...your little girl smoking pot."

"Nah! They're teenagers - what d'you expect? -Anyhow I should of thrown it away soon as we got Catrina."

"Yeah but still she should of known better not to smoke weed."

"No...Emma swore to me she had encouraged Catrina to smoke it - Not much damage was done -except for the exotic after smell which took weeks to fade, every-person that set foot in our house would leave as high as a cloud." Dodge hissed the last bit out absolutely consumed with hysterics. Munder rolled in his chair.

"Oh wait wait it gets better!" Maureen jumped in before her husband could say another word.

"-I think you've said enough..."

Munder stared at her through droopy eyes. "But Maureeeen.." He empathized every letter in her name "-There's soo much catching up to do."

"Well there'll be plenty of catching up to do when we're on our way back home with Catrina." Her voice was strained, as she stared down at the louts before her, she noticed them glance at each other wearily. "Oh I wish you wouldn't do that..."

"Do what?" Santos had just stepped into the kitchen area with Greer. "Showing our concern towards our upcoming death defying mission into no-mans land." His negative speech caused Murphy to turn around from what he was doing.

"If you're going to think negative...why bother coming."

"Hey I didn't start this off...it was tweedle-dee and tweddle dumb over here giving each other hopeless looks."

"-Yeah - But you were implying something."

"No I wasn't...you're just getting paranoid old man -so get off my case!"

"Why don't you make me!" Murphy stepped forward and pushed Santos against the wall and they began to scuffle. Maureen immediately came forward to brake the two up. "Murph take it easy...Santos you shouldn't have said anything." Before they could tackle each other again she pushed Santos onto the other side of the boat. "Now let's chill shall we."

The others settled down, Mike stared up at his wife admirably. "God I love that woman." Maureen blushed slightly.

"Why the hell am I blushing."

Munder looked from one to the other. "Cause 20 years ago he wouldn't have been able to say that...well not out loud at least."

"20 years...that's how long it's been?" Greer outline could just be seen on the outskirts of the table lights, the others nodded in response. "Jesus Christ." He took a large swig out of his beer can. "A lot of those years have been hell for me...always been looking over my shoulder for something to come and -you know- claim me and send me home." He shuddered thinking back to the fall from the elevator shaft. "I could never use elevators again or watch those old Italian films...they gave me the creeps -(shivered) "Oh...and I almost had a heart attack when I saw my daughter's Scarlet prom dress." The others stared at him in disbelief.

Santos scratched his chin contemplatedly "Is this to do with that woman -what's her name...Francoise?"

"-Francesca."

"Ah I remember you writing about her in your letter." Maureen added "Your only letter."

Greer smiled weakly. "Sorry." In all that time they had known each other, the ordeal they had been through, it felt odd they had nothing much to say...not even a million letters could express what they went through.

They stood/ sat there fiddling with anything they got there hands on before Munder broke the silence. "At least your death was quick...I was-" He swallowed sharply, his went eyes out off focus. "Grated agonizingly slow through clockwork in the engines." Everybody winced and cringed at what he had said.

"-Burnt alive I was." Santos blurted out -feeling rather stupid afterwards. The others nodded reasonably.

"To those of you that didn't know...I drowned." Murphy sank down into a chair as if just confessing a sin, he glanced at Maureen to find her eyes had glazed as if reflecting back. Then she was brought out of thought when she realised Dodge still hadn't said anything, everyone else had noticed to and were eagerly waiting for him to tell them about his death. Her heart went out to him as he just sat there knowing everybody was watching him.

"Oh come it's not like you have to know." Dodge mumbled- he messed with his cards on the table awkwardly. Maureen placed a loving hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

Munder coughed, thinking of the right words. "I think it would be best for us all to know buddy. Get it off you chest." He smiled sincerely. "Like spilling the beans A.KA maggots."

Dodge released a huff of laughter. "I knew that was coming." The others looked at the two quizzically by what they were talking about.

"See it's getting easier every step of the way going down memory lane." A simple nudge on the shoulder caused Dodge to sit up slightly in his chair.

"Okay." He sighed. "At the time I always thought Jack to be a bit of a weed, never liked picking a fight, always backed down when brought into a fight- you know always the momma's boy." The others brightened at his personalized humour, and sunk down on chairs around the table.

"I always seemed to push him around, even if it wasn't when I was angry with him." Maureen was starting to feel sick...She knew it was getting close to the point - some things had been left unsaid during their marriage...and now he was about to come out with it in the open.

"-You mean like when you molested him after finding the gold." Munder grinned as Dodge narrowed his eyes at him. '_Molester!'_

"It was an aggressive manly wrestle dipshit - Anyway I'd pushed him about a bit..."

FLASHBACK

'_Let's just be grateful we still have the gold and our lives." Jack gestured his hands innocently while confronting a pissed off Dodge. Everybody else was settling down rubbing there wounds and trying to dry off from the big plunge._

'_Yeah-tell that to Santos asshole!'_

_Maureen- 'Hey Dodge ease up!' Munder glances from one to the other._

_Dodge - 'This is bullshit!'_

_Jack. -'Santos came out here out of his free will just like the rest of us...' Dodge made for Jack across the room and grabbed him by the jacket and knocked him back onto the bar. Munder and Greer rushed forwards to prize Mike off him. Dodge- 'WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN?---SANTOS IS DEAD!'_

_Maureen- That's enough!_'

_Jack - 'shit fuck geroff me!' Munder grabs Dodge by the waist and lifts him off a freaked out Jack._

END FLASHBACK

"I had just turned my back on what I thought was his corpse -when.."

_Dodge stops in mid-step as he hears a groan from behind him, he nervously turns to be confronted with a blood drenched Jack slowly getting up, as he did his wounds melted away into nothing as if he had never been shot. Jack craned his head - his eyes fixed on his prey with a cold stare._

"_You think that was going to stop me?"_

_Mike's heart was pounding fast, he could feel an unpleasant force in the atmosphere around him. He tried his best to hide his fear. "Actually yes I thought it would...but I'll think of summut."_

_Jack tilted his head, a cruel smile played on his lips. "You better think fast cause I coming." He unexpectedly lurched forward towards Mike-who stared at him wide eyed in surprise. Soon as contact had been made, Mike felt himself pinned to the floor -Jack was straddling him. _

"_You always liked knocking me about...now it's your turn." Mike saw a fist fly towards his face SMACK, his head careered back at the impact - a groan escaped his lips. For the first time he felt powerless...this punk kid had suddenly over whelmed him with defeat. Another punch in the jaw brought him back to reality. 'Who was this guy, why did he really want the ship fixed?' He ignored his own questions and brought his hands up sharply and pushed Jack hard against the chest, he fell back against the hard floor. Dodge was still in panic as he dragged his numb self up and began to crawl away from Jack who was slowly getting up...to his uneasiness Jack was laughing his chesty laugh as he struggled._

_Mike spat out blood and glared at him. "What the fuck is so funny?"_

"_You are...you're so weak and pathetic." _

"_What and that makes your perfect?"_

"_No not perfect...special." Jack just stood there staring at him. Mike knew what he was doing- he was trying to Syke him out. Dodge had his fists clenched at the ready -but nothing came- Jack had begun motioning himself one way then moving the other, slinkily, as part of an attack manoeuvre._

"_What the hell are you waiting forJack!"_

_Jack grinned while moving around a counter- "For you to make your effortless first move."_

_Mike mind was scanning for ideas...then it randomly decided to quickly pick up an object and throw it as a diversion. A spanner went flying through the air, with Jack's quick reflexes he slid over to one side and it narrowly missed him by inches. By the time the spanner had clattered to the floor, Mike was already running down a stairway towards the fish tank. He had to somehow reach Maureen in time so he could double back and get her off the ship, all he wanted was to get her out of the way before Jack could get his hands on her. He skidded to a halt when a huge lump rose out of the floor and pushed up the carpet, blocking his path. Dodge stood transfixed to the spot as the lump moved towards him. "You've got to be kidding with me." He muttered, his eyes wide. The carpet reached his height then slowly moulded into the shape of a person, then it dissolved away to reveal Jack standing there smugly._

"_Pretty cool huh..?" He grinned sinisterly at him bearing what looked like fangs. "Don't worry it gets better." Before Mike could ask what? He went careering backwards into a door which splintered at the force -Shit that's gotta hurt._

_Dodge groaned, he could feel every muscle in his body slackening and his spine vibrating. The taste of copper came to his mouth, he could tell the end was near. He struggled up, with dread being his companion. Jack was crouched next to him by the time he looked up, his unearthly blue eyes bore into him with no trance of mercy. "Okay I'm bored now." The younger man grabbed the older man's throat and began to squeeze hard, his wind pipe was abruptly closed off, restricting the oxygen flow. Dodge's face turned purple as he coughed and spluttered, he brought his hands up to prize Jack's hand away but with no prevail. His arm thrashed around helplessly beating Jack hard. Mike grew weaker and weaker as his lungs slowly collapsed in on themselves, every second became worthless as darkness slowly crept over his eyes - which felt like they were bulging out of his skull. His arms which were raised gradually dropped to his body as his energy left him, even though Jack was in his sight, an image of Maureen flashed through his mind, then he died. _

- "After I had...died, I felt like I was floating then I was suddenly in this dark room, then there was this -"

"-Burning sensation in your hand." Santos finished, rubbing his own hand, the others were nodding slightly.

Mike looked around at Maureen. "I'm glad you didn't go through any of that." She felt dreadfully guilty for not experiencing what they went through.

Her lips parted ready to speak- she sighed. "After you were...marked, where did you go?"

"It's kind of hard to explain we were still on the ship, just not whole...sometimes we would be in this dark room where we couldn't do anything much, other times it would be like we were moving...but with somebody else, Jack to put it bluntly." Santos was leaning side on into a wall. "Like looking through his eyes or something, but wondering the ship was something I always done, it was better than the dark room or being a part of Jack."

Murphy sat scowling in the corner of the room. " Sure Santos...miss out the part where you were tormenting me!"

"Hey I didn't know what came over me then, I was angry at you but not angry enough to haunt you...I was a claimed soul!"

"-You threatened me with a knife, and I had to defend myself!" Murph stood up absolutely seething.

Maureen suddenly stumbled on something she remembered, Murphy had looked at her bewildered and frightened when she had approached him on the ship one day and he had attacked her. "Wait I was there...you somehow thought I was Santos...I remember the look on you face when you saw me...then you attacked."

Murphy was wide eyed "What!" To imagine he would try and kill Maureen was absurd and hurtful. "I did!"

The others eyes rounded, realisation came to there features. Santos scratched his head. "Wait now I remember; I was commanded to cloud over Maureen's image."

"Why would you do such a thing!" Dodge and Murphy said in unison while Maureen acted non-existent.

"I was a claimed soul...I couldn't do anything about it!"

"Oh don't give me all that claimed soul bullshit...what you did was dangerous!" Dodge exclaimed, inches away from pouncing on him. "Maureen was your friend."

"Hey guys I'm still here!" Maureen raised her hand like a kid in a classroom.

"-It was out of my hands...anyway she wasn't killed!" Santos squawked gesturing his hands stereotypically.

"Yeah, well it was darn lucky Jack was there to stop it all!" Dodge said not realising. Everybody else froze.

--- "Wait hold the phone, Jack is behind all of this...he was letting everything run it's course so he would look like 'the good guy!'"

"Thank you Maureen!" Santos indicating to her. "See, so it wasn't my fault...it was all Jack's mystical doing."

Murphy stared Santos out with a twitchy eye. "Yeah fine...whatever." '_You could of stopped it' _He mumbled turning his back on the situation.

"Hey I think we should focus here...we've got a big job to do in a few days." Greer crushed his cigarette into an ash-tray on the table. "We shouldn't bite each others heads off if we're supposed to be working as a team."

"Yes let's ease up." Santos then followed Greer outside for another discussion, briefly thanking him as they went through the doorway. Murphy sank down next to Munder at the table.

"Well...what's our plan?"

Maureen and Dodge looked at each other, they hadn't really considered an official plan. "We thought we would get on the ship, find Catrina and get her off...if we bump into Jack on the way we'll..."

"-Blow him up." Her husband finished. "Pretty stupid I know, but guns don't work so we will have to."

Murph nodded -it seemed pretty straight forward.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"You twist it...like this." Katie snatched her spelling toy out of Francesca's hands, her ghostly fingers spun a cube around causing a letter to fix next to another. "See?" Francesca peered at the cubes.

"Ci, now 'ow do you write Gold?"

"Easy." There heads leant over the toy as Katie began to explain while fiddling with the cubes. Their moments of rapt concentration came to an end when they heard a great gasp. Katie's head snapped up at the same time as Fran's, and they saw Catrina sitting up in bed.

"Oh darn...she pulled through." Francesca's voice rung through Catrina's ears as she turned towards Katie who was the only other person in the room.

"I pulled through...what does she mean by that?"

Katie earnestly looked at her while floating towards her bedside. "You had a raging fever and bad hallucinations over night."

"That explains the desert." Catrina added in an amused tone, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear - She immediately stopped smiling when she caught the odd look plastered across Katie's pasty face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Katie was looking at her heavenly before replying with. "I think I can see it too."

Catrina cocked her eyebrow. "What?" She then brought her hands up to her face. "Do I have a bruise or something?" Katie shook her head at a snail's pace, still looking at her with a slight smile. "I know I have similar facial features as you.. but-"

"No deary, I can finally see why he is enamoured with you."

Catrina blinked. "What Jack -No- he just sees me and wants something he can't have."

"Yeah- well maybe, but I see you have a glowing aurora, which illuminates you. You have a special gift Catrina...a gift of brightening up a room with you cute facial expressions and striking body language." Catrina couldn't believe what she was hearing, she was being complemented for being a decorative ornament.

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

Katie brought a tray from under the bed and placed it onto Catrina's lap. "Because for ages I wondered why people spoke of this obsession Jack had with you, I wanted to know the attraction...and now I see it, it's not just new sex it's the curiosity of discovering something new."

Catrina's eyes were darting from side to side downward in bewilderment. "Sure men are attracted to different types of women...Jack's not enamoured, just horny." She knew men had been drawn to her before but this was different Jack was dangerous.

"You know Jack was watching over you all of last night...but then he had to go and get charged." Katie bent two of her fingers in mid-air at the last word. Cat already knew what this meant -another night of Jack on the prowl for sex driven women. Katie brought her out of thought. "Now I don't know if this 'thing' is good or bad...if he is infatuated with you then he won't want to hurt you and do 'that', or he could be driven by this 'thing' into lust and want to do 'it'..."

Her mind was racing - too much talking of sex, she just wanted to run, she leapt out of bed, past Katie who was still standing there addressing her, then she swung the door open and ran into Jack who was looking as startled as she was, her heart stopped -it was an ultimate cliche. "Jack." She breathed.

He nudged her back into the room and followed her in, closing the door behind him. "Good to see you out of bed, now if you wouldn't mind climbing back in." Jack realised he had caught her in the middle of a terror spree, added. " On your own to sleep."

"Well can you get out...please."

"Excuse me? I'm not endangering you...I'm under control." '_For now' _Jack pursed his lips while looking her up and down, standing inches away from her. "See." _Aaaww so appealing when she's frightened._

"I'm not worried about now, I'm still pissed off at what you do for a living and what you've already done...and I don't want it in my room - so stay away from me Jack." Catrina noticed a genuinely hurt look in his eye...which then vanished when he sneered.

"Okay- you're right, a leopard can't change his spots." He walked to the door with his hands in his pockets. She had driven a blunt object through his heart, and once again he told himself it wasn't love just lust for sex and kill. "I'll check on you later...feel free to go for a walk around." He then left a stunned Catrina on her own. No sooner had he gone into his own sanctuary he heard her feet padding along the corridor, she briefly glanced through the doorway realising it was _his_ room, then she awkwardly strode past hoping he wouldn't follow. 'Jesus she's only just got better and now she's going back outside in just a nighty.' His head poked around the corner of the doorframe and he caught sight of a fleeting hem of dress rounding a corner. _Couldn't resi_st, he just had to follow.

A new feeling of freeness was upon her and she didn't want to neglect it any further. She pushed a door open and stepped out into the open sea air...and to imagine she could have never have felt this again since she had almost died. Sure Jack had saved her but what world had he brought her back to, a trapped life, even on a normal day in Boston, she never felt like living her home -the cuckoos nest, but she dragged herself out as a mindless routine...trying to be like everybody else. School seemed like somewhere to stash kids, boyfriends just seemed like an accessory -but a nice accessory, an accessory that walks you home at night, holds your hand in the park, squeezes your knee in a movie theatre and just makes you feel special when everything else seems bleak and lonely. When she did reach home after another day had gone by she would touch a brick of her house and think '_There are many bricks that make up this house as does the people that make up the world, but even though I feel sad and lonely cause I feel like I'm everybody else, I feel sad cause I know I'm not like anybody else...somebody's watching over me, and they're coming to take me whether I like it or not_.' And she always knew it. Didn't live by it - But sensed something was around the corner she couldn't stop. Catrina sank down to the floor and found herself silently crying, she abruptly stopped when a navy jacket was draped over her shoulders.

"Don't cry." He said plainly, not the slightest bit of sympathy in his voice.

"Do you mind...I'm having a very tough time right now, leave me alone." Catrina could sense him watching her, then a scuffling noise as if he was preparing to seat himself down next to her.

"I just don't like it when women cry."

"-You mean you don't like to see women cry, cause normally it is your fault." She hiccupped as he unexpectedly grabbed her wrist and jerked her towards him.

"You can sometimes be a real b.." He stopped himself. "Well actually no, I don't like it when women cry because it's the ultimate distress sign...it shows their point of weakness, the breaking down of emotions." He noticed she was listening intently. "And sometimes it acts as a door into a persons soul...and I can see almost everything distressing about there life, usually I don't mind...but sometimes it gets way to emotional, I don't feel - it just experience it." They were sitting rather close and they could feel each others breathe on their cheeks, he raked his eyes out of hers as Catrina's cheeks flushed slightly. He hastily let go of her wrist and she slide away from him. Catrina wasn't crying anymore, in fact she was just staring at him...utterly drawn.

"Jack, what happens if they are crying with joy?" She wondered, leaning her head into one of the bars, his pale blue eyes came back to her again. "Surely that's not distressing or shows any sign of weakness?"

"Why would someone cry with joy?" Catrina raised her eyebrows to Jack who was looking at her bemused.

"Maybe they're pleased to see somebody they haven't seen in a long time?"

"I'm not the type of person to be around when someone's crying with joy, nobody is pleased to see me." Catrina's eyes were wondering off to the side back to the ocean, a sort of sadness clung to the atmosphere. "I mean...it's not like I deserve to have anybody to genuinely miss me, look what I've done." Jack saw her nod out of the corner of his eye, and his lip twinged into a casual smile. He decided to remain quiet within her thoughtful and wondrous state while admiring the view, and what a nice bit of scenery it was...a young fair complexion, pink pouty lips, deep emerald eyes, and long wavy brown hair which glowed red within the sunset. She was beautiful and untouchable, like an irresistible ornament that a mother forbids you to play with. Catrina couldn't really focus on the sunset - she had the sensation of hot sticky eyes on her, as much as she would like to steal glances at him... she couldn't, it felt like a sin to start lusting after an enemy...so she shut it out as hard as she could.

"Catrina." Her head came around to meet his powerful gaze. "Let's go for a walk." Before he could let her reply he jumped up and dragged Catrina along with him. This was crazy - she thought. She was scared of him but attracted to him, she was pissed off with him - but slightly keen to have him around. Her back leaned away slightly, unsure if she wanted to follow, even though her body allowed him to take

her away.

_Tune in next chapter...Jack's gonna get nasty. A storm brews over the Arctic Warrior 2 as Santos and Murphy...well...they will never get along. Greer takes up muffin making, Dodge wants sex..._

_... and Elect Munder for President (Presidental music). 'I'm just kidding'_


	14. I bruise easily

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the lower decks my love." He gripped her hand tightly as he strode down the many stairways and corridors. Catrina relentlessly tottered along behind him, when she stumbled he would always pause and be there - ready to catch her, and she would hop up suddenly when his hand grazed her back, even a quick recovery still felt awkward and she would shyly slip away from his helping hands. They turned into a gap in a wall which revealed a narrow staircase going down into a drippy cavern. Jack was already ahead of her so he had to abruptly stop when he still felt her lingering on the top step. He looked up at her silhouette, he could just make out within the dim light her bright green eyes staring fearfully into the abyss. "Don't worry I'm here."

"That's what I'm afraid of." She mumbled as she accepted his clawing hands. Their feet clattered down the stairs, and Catrina shrieked as her last few steps sank under 15 inches of water, she didn't know when the stairs officially ended and she stalled in panic when Jack's body began to move further away still holding her hand. "Jack." He looked back up at her - smiled, then brought an arm just under her butt and lifted her out the water. Catrina felt 10ft tall as she balanced near his shoulder, no one had ever carried her like this before, and she didn't like the idea of her hip being so close to his face. Jack was having a very hard time himself, soon as he had done it -he realised it was a bad idea, cause he was overcome with both dread and desire - _shit she smells good._ Jack's hand which was clasped around her thigh picked up a shudder from her body and he began to do breathing exercises to stop himself molesting the poor girl.

"Why is there so much water...we're not sinking are we?" Catrina dipped her head as they passed under some piping.

"The ship's fine, this is just water that hasn't been cleared away."

"Why the hell are we down here."

"You'll see."

They passed many massive pipes, Jack dramatically stopped in front of an iron door - to Catrina's amazement the door swung open by itself and lead to another stairway which looked completely dry compared to the rest of the ship. It seemed like an endless journey through the bow of the ship, she didn't know where she was going or what awaited her. Was this some kind of a trick...who knows? Her mind was oblivious to him being the type to conduct themselves sexually in an icky environment...though he was a very creepy person. She tried her best to drive these frightening thoughts out of her head by commentating. "I think I just saw a rat...or maybe just a very large looking mouse, ooo another rusty wall -nice -this ceiling is very low...either I'm getting taller or your getting taller...I'm going to bump my head any minute now." Catrina nervously glanced downward at Jack's face which was facing straight ahead, he had a grave look and his lips were pursed as he walked on ahead. _'Damn he's ignoring me...I'm going to die or be helplessly...done over.'_ "- Okay - I think your 6ft and I'm 5'ft something...what d'you say?" -silence- "And here's another wall..."

"-I'm not going to rape you." Jack said out of the blue, he turned his head slightly so he could have a clear view of her head.

Catrina sucked in sharply. "I never said you where going to."

"Yeah...but you were thinking it." His blue pearl drop eyes narrowed on her as she stared right back, she felt terror-struck and angered.

"Stay out of my head, this is the only privacy I've got left." She caught Jack huff out a laugh and flash his pearly whites.

"Don't worry I only hear snippets, your mind is like a radio - every now and then I reach a clear frequency and pick up a little voice."

"Well don't tune in, how would you feel if I was inside your head." Catrina felt an uneasiness about Jack after she had said this. _'Oh how little she knew.'_ He placed her down on the metal grills of the floor and guided her into a room with a high ceiling. A rusty old fashioned car sat in the corner, her eyes went straight to it, and Jack noticing her interest and bemusement, grinned. Her head dipped to the side.

"-So this is what you wanted to show me?"

"Err...no." He strutted into a smaller room and kicked open a crate. "This is what I wanted to show you." She came through the small doorway cautiously and stared in disbelief at what she saw, about 40 bricks of gold sat snug in a box and by the looks of the similar crates nearby - there were more.

"So the gold really does exist." Her hands brushed over the invaluable cold bars. "I've never seen so much in my life. Damn...I'm surprised you haven't bought a mansion and a dozen cars." Jack smiled evilly as she picked up one of the bars. Her eyes sparkled at the beauty of the object in her hand, and alas it wasn't hers and worst of all people had been killed over it -she slammed it back down in the crate, and Jack jumped in surprise.

"Are you trying to bedazzle me into greed so you can kill me." She exclaimed, trying to come across sharply but ended up shrieking.

Jack skulked over to the wall and leaned against it with his arms folded "Actually bedazzle you into admiring me, every girl likes money."

"Don't you need diamonds for that - wait...no, do you really think I would like this, do you really think this will turn me on?!"

"What!" He pushed himself off the wall glaring. "I am not trying to turn you on...what's the point in doing that, I can't do anything!"

"Apart from fucking people and killing them."

That had been the last straw, he could feel this deep anger raising, and a deep desire to hurt - At moments like these where a woman didn't know her place...it was like wild fire. "WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!" To Catrina's horror he pushed hard against her - the force threw her body brutally across the room and into a rusting wall. He was shocked at what he had done but didn't let it interfere with his anger and lust to hurt.

Catrina was in absolute agony and to top it all off the dread that filled her up was sickening, for the first time she had experienced his true wrath- his true nature, and she prayed there wasn't anymore. Her watering eyes looked up through some of her hair which had been thrown in front of her face. Jack was breathing heavily, his nostrils were flared, and his eyes were cold.

"Listen Bitch - Do you think I like my job...well yes actually I do, I love it, but sometimes things get in my way, and when this happens I have to get rid of them and do what I have to do, and mark my words, I will have you by the end of this week. But don't you dare go fucking criticising." He softened up a bit, trying to make himself less frightening so she wouldn't pull away from his assistance. "Now come." He offered her a hand...which she didn't take as he had expected. "Fine." Jack spat, and he stormed out - as he did he pushed on a hook which dangled on a chain so forcefully it clattered heavily on the ceiling. She flinched at the bang, and tried to stand up but soon as she tried to move - she found she couldn't feel her arm attached to her body, but a huge searing pain remained.

"Catrina?" She heard Katie's voice a little distance away from her. Katie came in and noticed to her dismay a knocked about Catrina cradling her arm, she knelt at her side. "Oh my god what happened... did he strike you?!"

"Yes and no." Katie made to help her up but Catrina cringed. "No don't move me, I think I'll stay down here."

"You can't hide from him and anyway it's damp...you don't want to get sick again."

"I'd rather be sick than have a dislocated arm." She winced trying to massage it.

"What?!" Katie's hand shot to her shoulder, and the girl screamed in agony. "You mean he just pulled it out of your socket."

"No, he through me into a wall and it must of popped out."

"Ouch, I would never think of him doing that to you, well yes I would...but you."

"Well I guess I can't be safe all the time." Her smile was weak, and full of dread, she made another attempt to get up but squeaked in pain instead and sank back down. "Oh this is ridiculous I can't get up."

"I think I'll go fetch Jack."

Catrina eyes widened in surprise, a sensation like electricity shot through her spinal cord. "God no, don't do that, he'll...hurt me, I don't want him to think I need his help."

"But you do need his help, there's no need to be afraid of assistance, or is there something else?!"

Katie noticed her eyes go off to the side. "Nothing." Catrina heard her 'tut' disapprovingly. "Okay everything, being powerless...feeling intimidated." Her fears were just like that and so much more which she couldn't confess to, her emeralds focused on the British girl standing above her with her hands on her hips.

"Or you could be just plain stubborn."

"I'm not being stubborn."

Katie just looked at her unconvinced, then sighed. "Right then you won't mind if I leave, there's a bit of a do on upstairs -chow!"

"-Katie wait!-" She had already disappeared leaving Catrina sitting on her own, she winced as her arm seared with an intense pain. "God damn it!"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Maureen was standing at the very front of the Arctic Warrior 2, the gentle sea breeze and the quiet lapping of the water at the sides was comforting - but made her think more about what's was going on in the real world, a similar feeling she had 20 years ago...when she remembered standing at the tip of her boat thinking, followed by a - '_Hey.'_

Maureen jumped around in surprise, Dodge was making his way towards her on the bow with a cuppa coffee. "Hey y'alright?"

She gratefully took the cup out of his hands. "Thanks, it seems like a quite pleasant night." Out of the corner of her eye she saw her husband nod, before adding in. "For what could be happening right at this moment many miles away."

"Honey just stop, I think our daughter will be safe for now...you told me awhile back he's too scared to hurt her."

Maureen smiled weakly before sighing. "Yeah yeah your right." She snuggled her head into Dodge's chest as he pulled her in. Her head slid upwards to look at him - a saucy grin on her face. "Don't get any ideas."

"Why not?" He said rather childishly, looking down at his wife. "Nothing's stopping us?"

"Err...actually, yer there is...first of all we're outside in the cold.."

"-We can go inside?-"

"...Secondly, the bed is too small..."

"-We could lay a blanket down on the widest bit of floor-"

"...and thirdly I don't want that lot in there." Maureen indicated to the others sitting around the table inside. - "Listening or even watching us."

"Spoil sport."

Epps narrowed her eyes at him. "I am not! I'm not in the mood...how can you possibly think of sex at a time like this?!" Dodge just continued to grin at her, even though he was hurt slightly by the comment, he couldn't help but notice how cute she looked with rosy cheeks...especially when talking about the subject of sex.

"When I'm with you I always think about it." He received a punch in the arm. Maureen disappeared inside followed by Dodge, they were immediately greeted by the smell of cooked pastry. "Hmm something smells goood."

Greer's shiny head appeared over the top of the kitchen counter, a warm smile hitched on his face, a tray came into view loaded with muffins. Dodge couldn't help but snigger at the pink apron and his motherly appearance. "I didn't know you were taking care of us...err...Mrs Greer." Munder snorted as a half amused Greer walked to the table mouthing _'fuck you.'_

"For those interested, I learned the recipe off my mother-in-law which is a strict family secret."

"What - that you talk to your mother-in-law." Santos murmured causing everyone to chuckle.

----------------------------------------------------

A long leg stretched across the length of the bed - the other slightly bent, Jack had the top of his back and his head leaned up against the headboard. His arm was slightly extended from when he had previously thrown a dart at the opposite wall. He then brought a hand up which was curled up against his side and pressed it to his nose and mouth...something rested in his hand, it was small and woollen.

As a familiar smell reached his nostrils, everything left his mind and was replaced with a skitso daydream. A little girl was sitting on his chest - no older than 3, her small legs were bent up and her chin rested on her knees, her green eyes looked at him curiously from under her gingery fringe. A confused expression passed across his face followed by an evil smile, the girl immediately coward from him and slunk off the bed dragging her bottom across his body as she did. Soon as the girl's feet touched the floor, she awkwardly wobbled on her skinny legs and was about to fall back when Jack's hand came to back of her neck to support her -he was amazed at how small she was. He knew almost instantly it was Catrina as the little girl's body grew slightly taller and her feet morphed roller blades. She skated over to the foot of the bed, and clung onto the railings looking at Jack. Catrina slipped slightly and she disappeared from view. For that one moment when she disappeared he took the woollen glove from his face and put it back on the bed. The room seemed to darken as he stared at the dart stuck in the opposite wall, he inhaled a deep breathe and exhaled condensated steam which glowed eerily - he could feel his natural body temperature coming back to him - his true essence which was beyond the body he had kept from his original life, beyond human, beautiful almost but sinisterly deadly. To be one of Satan's servants had its' many disadvantages, such as the constant reminder of their past life, the echo of death - especially of other people, the very souls he had imprisoned -he could hear the whispers from his quota. A smoky skull shape hovered in front of his face, his eyes glowed magnificently, and also the signature symbol glowed red on his right hand. '_Oh bollocks not another recount.'_ Jack thought as his head slid down from the headboard, his back arched against the covers as he felt a demonic presence in the room sifting through his quota. He watched the end of the bed as a pair of green eyes peered over the duvet, fingers followed over the duvet - with fingernails painted black. He was surprised to find his daydream mingling with a real situation.

Catrina pulled herself up, her hair was jet black, her clothes gothic - she had a purple tank top with a pentagram on, black denim skirt, black tights with purple spiders on them, and a leather jacket draped over her. Jack looked her up and down in shock - she was hot, but looked a bit young, 13 maybe. He remembered a time when he popped back to Boston to check on her, and found he couldn't find her - now he knew why. Jack felt a huge jolt and Catrina disappeared, he was brought back to reality and found the demonic essence had gone, and a wispy number was hovering above his hand. '_986'_

His body straightened, and he stood up without pushing, he made his way to Catrina's room thinking _'Maybe she's learnt her lesson now.'_ Which was the best way to hide a tiny trace of humanitarian guilt, he wasn't the type of guy to say sorry. Jack turned into the doorway of her room to find it empty and cold. His first thought was had she escaped - then he closed his eyes to locate her...nothing precise, only spark in a dark room. Katie passed through the wall opposite to go through another, but she was immediately grabbed by Jack, she almost soiled herself.

"Where's Catrina?!" He turned her to face him, when she didn't respond he shook her protoplasm form violently. "Well?"

Her eyes were round - she stuttered. "The s-s-same place you l-left her b-b-before."

He dropped her and she fell though the floor, Jack dematerialised to the second mail room. He reappeared in front of Catrina, her head looked clammy and it was drooping to her chest. He kneeled down beside her, her head rolled back up and she looked at him fearfully. "Catrina you gonna get sick again...why are you still down hear you silly girl." He grabbed her arm and put it around his shoulder -but to his bad luck he had chosen the bad one, she screamed in pain and he immediately dropped her in surprise. He looked back down at her and noticed she was clutching her arm. "What is it?"

"M-my arm is dislocated."

Jack shuddered...had he done that? He thought. "What's caused that then?"

Catrina looked at him bewildered. "How can you act like nothing happened you monster...you threw me into a wall!" She winced when her arm panged. "You have a bad temper."

"So do you...sorta, anyway your arm please." He motioned towards her and she shook her head nervously. "I need to pop it." Without waiting for her response he moved quickly and pushed her down onto the floor. Her mind was racing she couldn't keep up with what he was doing, so she struggled against him with one arm.

"Jack don't it'll hurt."

"I know it will...that's why I'm holding you down and..." He unbuckled his belt, as he did this Catrina's heart leapt into her mouth horrified, and just a little... "Here bite this." Jack shoved his belt into her mouth, - _'Oh my god it's gonna really hurt'_ He took one last glance at her face, and sighed - he leaned far forward like he was lying on top of her, his face was beside hers and he was holding the top of her shoulder and her elbow. CRACK. In a split second Catrina felt an absolute hot sharp pain followed by soreness, her teeth nearly pierced his belt, and it creaked at the compression. The last thing going through Jack's mind was how erotic the situation was, he couldn't think of what came next...it would be polite to stand up, offer her his hand and escort her where she wanted. But the predicament had seemed to have changed his mind, he had no belt on, she was currently gagged, and he was lying on top of her. Not to mention she will probably be very grateful for fixing her arm...very grateful.

Catrina sensed the awkwardness of the situation and murmured through the belt. "Can you get off me now." _Well that fantasy lasted long_. And as much as he would of loved her to offer him the 'chance'-there would have been dire consequences. He moodily got up and stood up over her, she was slowly pushing herself up, wearily glancing at his intimidating form above her - at times like these she felt like whimpering, but surely he would get pleasure from that, so she would put a brave face on. Jack was observing her with a trained eye -his head lazily leaning back slightly.

Catrina piped up avoiding his gaze. "Are we going to go somewhere Jack or what."

"Sure." His reply came out as a whisper, which sounded more creepy than innocent. "After you." He seized her arm and guided her forwards out the door - this time she will have to walk herself through the water, since carrying her will increase his hunger for pain and intimacy. He thought as he made his way down the corridor with her; will there ever be a time where they will be in the same room for over 20 minutes without yelling at or harming each other...nah- probably not. Anger surged through his veins and bore in his eyes, he felt like ripping her to pieces or nibbling on her tender flesh, but once again he couldn't, and the best way to deal with it is to blame her and take it out on her. If it got to out of hand he thought at least he could use his promotion against her and satisfy himself while killing her in the process, he smiled a rueful smile which then faded when he heard an 'OUCH!'

Catrina rubbed her arm fiercely. "Jack don't grip so hard." He stared after her as she walked on ahead...he could tell she was desperately trying to avoid him.

She scurried upstairs hoping to put a distance between them. Even though her tiny tiny crush had chipped down her hatred, it had heightened her fear of him...she was scared of herself in his presence. Jack voice reached out to her again. "Not so fast Cat."

"Just leave me alone."

"No Catrina...I can't leave you alone, you are my responsibility, not in the protective way, but more like keeping you in check." She stopped abruptly, it felt hurtful to feel used.

-"You haven't even thanked me for popping your arm." Jack's eyes softened as she turned while tipping her head, her innocence was never hidden, especially when wearing that nightdress. Her childlike voice caused his heart to temporarily stop, and he felt slightly angered he felt that way.

"What?!...But Jack you caused the accident, I haven't even heard an apology yet."

Catrina couldn't believe he was still blanking out the harm he had done. He smiled charmingly at her. "If that's all it takes for you to throw your arms around me, and maybe have a little drink then...I'm sorry." Jack had forced it out, even after he said it he knew it sounded bland and cocky, it was a big mistake. _'Shit'_ Catrina had given him a '_You jerk' _look and marched off down the hall. He growled irritably and followed with a storm above his head. "I'm sorry!" He called through grit teeth, he shook his head - this was going to be harder than he thought, it had to be so different with Catrina -since she wasn't a slut he would have to mean his apologies -and actually use his mind and voice. Jack dematerialised and appeared in front of her, causing a 'Woh.' To irrupt from her small mouth - _not to mention kissable._

"Can you stop with the appearing." Waving her arms flagrantly but keeping her guard on.

"Look...for some reason I'm having trouble lying to you, so when I say I'm sorry, I mean I'm sorry." Catrina tried to walk by him, but walked into his arm which was extended to the opposite wall to make a barrier, she ducked to go under, but he was ready for her and he stuck his leg out. She whined slightly - knowing there was going to be a scuffle. Jack swapped his arms around when making the barrier to tease and confuse her as she tried to squeeze through, and she ended up in a comical position with her waist locked between his arm and leg which were currently making the barrier. She grumbled in defeat.

"I haven't got a choice have I?"

He smiled his white cocky grin. "Nope."

"Well you're forgiven, and thank you for popping my arm."

"Great now gimme a hug."

"Uh uh."

Jack laughed half heartedly and dragged her down the corridor, Catrina meanwhile contemplated how much she feared and loathed him, then her heart suddenly fluttered when he hooked his arm through hers.

-------------------------------------

"Full speed ahead ." Maureen called upstairs, Santos pushed a lever forwards which throttled Arctic Warrior 2 faster across the waves. Dodge was sitting at the table looking over maps with Murphy.

"Arrmen...this is going to take ages. We've been stuck in the same God-damn spot all this time." Dodge's remorse caused his compass' point to sink through the paper and into the solid wood of the table. Maureen rounded her husband with an arm around his waist, trying to calm him.

"How long is it going to take Dad?" Murphy stared at the map unsure how to tell his daughter. His finger remained where they were on the map-, he sighed. "I don't know... 2 weeks, but we're still not even sure if the Antonia Graza is in the Bering sea." Murphy voice was beyond reassuring, and all he could do was stare into a pair of heartbroken faces, he felt guilty that he couldn't make any promises, he felt shit that he couldn't step forward and take care of everything for them. Jack had put a lot of work into screwing up peoples lives, and he had done it successfully with no remorse, his granddaughter was with Jack right now doing who-knows-what to torment her, and he was helpless...and he could see it in Maureen and Dodges eyes that they felt the same way too.

------------------------------------------------

Catrina was sitting at the bar with Jack, he was pouring out an orangey liquid. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand looking suspiciously at him. "Is that...whiskey?"

Jack beforehand had considered giving her coke, but had a sudden urge to give her something stronger in order to have the pleasure of watching her squirm at the taste and the after affect. By the look of her she might have never drunk in her life. He caught himself off guard sniggering, and had to calm himself before Catrina looked disturbed. _ Too late._

"What's so funny?"

Jack raised his head and looked upon her with a plain face which he could do very well. "Nothing... just imagining what you would look like drunk?"

"Probably the same as you." Her finger had began to swirl in the orange liquid. "Dangerous and always laughing when not necessary."

"And you would know that would you?" He poured himself a glass - a full glass. "Well Cat, you would be wrong, I don't get drunk, my system doesn't allow it - so nothing happens." He knocked back his full glass of whiskey while observing her over his glass with a keen eye, he never cringed or pulled a face as he brought the glass from his lips and settled it down opposite hers. Catrina hated challenges she knew she couldn't win, she had no chance against him. The whiskey was beginning to burn her finger and she withdrew her finger from the glass, and used it to push away from her.

"You haven't even tried it yet?" He said in a high mocking tone.

"I don't have to, I already know it's gonna burn my throat as it goes down and make me go yack."

"It's alcohol...that's what it does kid, come on just take a sip." A sudden jerky movement he made on his stool to shuffle towards her caused her to stiffen then hesitantly move her hand off the table, Jack noticing her change in body language - knew he was sitting to close, so he turned slightly towards the bar, and placed his nikies' on the foot bar, he glanced sideways to notice to his 'non'-surprise; her hand was back on the table. "Surely you must have drunk alcohol before."

"Oh yes I have, but not whiskey, I find whiskey a drink for the depressed, like those lonely guys in bars, drowning themselves in drink, and slurring on about their problems to the barmaid or some random guy sitting next to them." When she had finished she looked back at Jack to see him staring at her intently, Catrina could actually feel him trying to sift through her mind, and she pulled herself out of his eyes. "What are you trying to see."

"You." He said plainly, he then indicated to the whiskey.

"No thanks."

"Do you smoke?"

"No...you?"

Catrina watched his hand disappear into his coat pocket, he pulled out a packet of cigarettes and put them onto the table. No sooner had he put the packet down, he had got one out and put it in his mouth, and was lighting it.

Catrina couldn't help but stare, they way he smoked was so hypnotic, but she thought nigatine was so disgusting. "Right that's another thing I'm going to write on the things I hate about Jack list."

Jack grinned with the cig still between his lips.

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Sorry I took so long I've been on holiday. _


	15. dreamt or not dreamt

_Don't panic people..._

_And another thing - sorry about the way I write; more description than speech, I don't do it all the time...so bare with me._

-----------------------------

Maureen quietly clambered onto the deck of the Antonia Graza with the help of her husband who closely followed behind her. The rough surface caused her feet to crunch on the deck and she came to a halt -flagging her arms down irritably to hush herself, she waited for someone to come through the door -but no one came, and she signalled the others to follow. Greer was the last to climb on deck, he tightly clutched a crowbar in one hand. Maureen was already ahead of them and was gradually opening a rusty door. The heartache she felt made her blind as she found herself walking through the hall without checking in any direction, she heard her crew dragging their feet and she was surprised to find she didn't care. Her mind was only on her daughter and her whereabouts. A chill crept down her spine as she walked by the infamous Francesca poster, and she imagined Greer's reaction would be the same too. She felt someone grab her hand and assumed it was Dodge. "Okay you guys I was' thinking we should split up."

"No." They finished in unison. Maureen nodded and continued on down a corridor with the rest following behind, she heard Munder mumble. "It hasn't changed much."

"Hey as long as don't have to pull your stinking carcass onto the right floor then I don't care."

Maureen had her wits about her as she quickly turned the corner shining her torch up ahead, she felt like the others had held their breath as she did. "Clear." They exhaled together and proceeded down to the bottom.

Suddenly an eerie whistle rung out from the bow of the ship, and she heard the others come to a dramatic halt behind her, Epps turned towards Dodge who was looking slightly unnerved, she felt like she had nothing to reassure him or the others. "Okay, lets go that way." Maureen indicated back where they had came with her light.

Her boots hardly made a sound when walking along the rusted iron flooring, but her breath was audible -and came out in faint wisps. The mist from her breath cleared and a door came into sight at the bottom of the hall - _Ah...that chill again down the spine, this quest seems too easy._ It pissed her off slightly at how easy the situation was becoming -_Something must be wrong_. Not too soon had she thought this, Santos came out with. "It's too quiet, isn't something supposed to happen by now?"

Maureen had a hunch someone was waiting behind the door, _ and boy did she feel ready -_ She signalled the others to press on with her ahead, her feet non -hesitantly padded along the floor, her arm extended in front of her, her hand hit the cold brass of the handle - she turned it...

Her eyes fluttered open, she was staring at her bedroom ceiling on the Arctic Warrior 2. She wiped non existent tears from her eyes and groggily made her way out, she heard murmuring of a conversation going on above her.

... "Hey that was one Christmas party I'll remember."

"Yeah it was pretty special, the whole gang...those Swedish girls." (APE NOISES) "Like an office party really but with water...and...err...body shots." Maureen heard a few sniggers as she made her way upstairs. When she reached the top the room fell silent.

"What's a matter, embarrassed?" She commented with a sly smirk. Her husband cheeks tinted slightly. "You know you never really told me about the whole Helga and Vanessa incident..."

"Aaa...well you know honey it was all just a blur."

Maureen raised her eyebrows. "Not a minute ago it wasn't." Mike coughed uneasily and made his way into the mini-helm, while everyone else observed him with cheesy grins smeared across their faces.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"You've gone quiet." Jack was slumped in a couch looking across at the girl at the bar. Her head was facing the porthole, as if she was deliberately avoiding him. A smile came to his features, he was breaking her down, she was becoming slightly fragile - but only slightly, her will power had so many layers he couldn't possibly leave her a blubbering wreck. For about 10 minutes or so he had probed her with questions about her past, and after a few... he sensed a hidden tormented fear and anger buried under the surface of her strained answers. He guessed it was a toned down version of losing the will to live, and he didn't know weather to stop - or keep going to make her suffer. Then again she might start ...crying.

"What do you think your parents are doing right now?" Jack propped his feet up upon a coffee table in front of him.

"Must you go on, I know your punishing my parents by keeping me here, for no apparent reason."

"I gave them their lives, you were the thing your mum dumped to save everyone else." The corner of his mouth twinged. "Be thankful."

"Just stop it!" Catrina banged on the bar with her fist, her head went down next - she could feel herself crying. How could he be so heartless she thought, this was supposed to be a sorry drink not a further beating when you're down sort of thing. Catrina reflected on how nice he was in the first 5 minutes, then suddenly the atmosphere deteriorated. She sucked in her breath and lifted her head off the bar and turned towards him her emerald eyes bright. "So tell me about your parents?" Jack looked slightly taken aback, and she sort of marvelled at the punched in the chest look on him, not dwelling on if she was digging too deep.

"What, what, what the fuck...?!" All Jack could get out, dare she ask. He put his whiskey glass on the table. "Woman you did not just ask me that?" Catrina sat back slightly, worried he was going to leap across the coffee table and pounce on her.

"Hey so you can ask me, but I can't ask you?" She shrieked standing up.

"Kid do you seriously go around asking?"

"NO...but you asked me." _Jump behind the bar and cower, wait-NO _ "Don't call me kid, I'm not a kid, and your not my Dad!"

Jack settled down, and took a drag from his cigarette. "Let's just leave it." After a few sighs and seconds of silence. Catrina found herself crossing the room towards him to sit on the couch. He only looked up when she was about to sit sown. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Catrina was half way down, and she turned to look at him,

"Oh dear he's fell out with me."

"No it's not that...all this sexual tension has made me kind of horny." He finished, Catrina's look of disgust caused him to charmingly sneer.

"You wouldn't."

"Oh I would, but I won't ." Jack stubbed out his end on the table. (hehe his end). He didn't know why he had bothered, every single thing he would throw out of his mouth to dampen out the vibe kept being thrown back at him with a more intense rush of energy, sexual energy that is. He knew the one thing that kind of turned him off was blubbering - but that didn't happen, then he thought yelling abuse at her would bring out the hatred he felt towards her - then she would kind of turn all angry and cute, which made his loins sing. He brought his attention to her once more to find her staring off into space, and he craved to know what she was exactly thinking.

Catrina had a ray of things going through her mind, why was she sitting on the couch, what was he going to do with his hands empty. At the time his cigarette kept him sort of occupied from him touching her.

_Damn,_ she felt all stiff and in the need of a good stretch, she quickly glanced at Jack, his eyes were closed, and he looked fairly peaceful. She thought she might-as-well go. She pulled herself up, denying herself a stretch, and began to make her way out cautiously.

"Sit back down."

"I, I thought you were done with me." Catrina had her hand on the door knob.

"Care to rephrase that." She could just imagine the plastered smirk on his face. Not daring to disobey him, she dragged her feet back to the couch and eyed him while plonking herself down. His skin had gone slightly paler...than usual, she saw his Adam's apple jerk in his throat as he swallowed - something didn't feel right. His lips formed the words. "Just try and go to sleep."

Not to sure she felt like it, she brought her feet up (so they were in between her and Jack) and curled up into a ball, Catrina closed her eyes. Silence followed for another 2 minutes. '_Damn- this is cosy...okay I'll just rest my eyes for a bit then sneak out later.'_

_Katie was sitting in front of her now reading her what sounded like a bed-time story. "Katie what are you doing?."_

"_Just relax deary...free your mind, escape your conscience, your in the land of nod." _

"_I'm not asleep, I'm just resting my eyes." Catrina replied rather groggily. _

"_Hu...sure you are, doesn't matter anyway...your safe, it's just you and me on cloud nine." Catrina quirked her eyebrow. "What's wrong... don't you trust me?" Katie questioned putting down her book._

"_No it's not that, it's just if I'm dreaming you...how come it's weirdly."_

"_All dreams are weird deary." Katie leaned forward and stroked her hair. "Just focus on me, and only me...your not in any danger...none what so ever." Catrina's lips twinged with a warm relaxed smile. Suddenly a gush of air blew over her, she looked up at Katie questioningly and unable to speak, Katie was glancing away from her...her eyes returned to Catrina's once more. "Nothing to worry about." She sensed something was not quite right and tried to pull out of her calm mode, she tempted to turn her head, but was greeted by Katie's hand which she used to guide her back to focus on her._

_Catrina found her voice and whispered gently "What's going on?" A cold finger had started to work it's way up her leg, it felt like a threat - an invasion of her womanhood as it passed her knee. Just before she could lift her hand up to push the harassing finger away -Katie grabbed hold of her arm rather cruelly. _

"_This is serious now Katie let go of my arm!" She couldn't think why she was doing this, taking away her sense of security, preventing her from protecting herself. Katie during their struggle had decided to sit on her chest. "Get off me!"_

_The little English girl shook her head. "Just let him touch you."_

"_No I won't allow it!" Catrina shrieked, on the brink of tears. She heard distant sniggering and wished to slap who ever was doing it. A rush of air rushed past her face - she was spinning, then she wasn't. Her foot clipped something rather sharply and she yelped. Katie was now holding a knife to her throat, she didn't dare twitch or swallow, fearing the skin on her neck might graze the blade. Catrina didn't know how she could concentrate on anything else besides the knife, but she noticed a very smug looking Francesca leering at her above Katie's shoulder._

_Francesca egged Katie on. "Slice ze bitch, go on, slice ze bitch." And with that Katie smiled more sinisterly and grappled Cat's hair to bring her closer._

"_Please don't do this." Was all Catrina could say. "I'm your friend, don't listen to Francesca she has never liked me."_

"_Francesca is my new friend now -we have more in common, death." Fran placed a hand on Kate's shoulder. "But I guess you could join us...there's plenty of room for the dead... And I don't think Jack'll mind shagging a corpse." The blade pressed into a throat and pierced the thin layer of pale skin, Catrina screamed in terror, expecting pain as she thrashed around. Her hand came up to pull away the blade to prevent it sinking any deeper...Katie faded away and was replaced with Jack clutching her wrists._

"Woah calm down." Jack exclaimed.

"I'm dieing...I'm dieing!!!" She was yelping like a mad woman, and being heavily restrained.

"You're not dieing."

"W...where's the knife?"

"Knife?!"

"The blood..." Catrina felt her neck urgently still eyeing the floor for the blade. Jack reached for her head and pushed it back slightly to stretch her neck skin, Catrina shuddered when she felt him trace his finger down her windpipe. Jack who had seen many throats in his life - at that moment in time thought how it was the softness neck he had ever felt. He reluctantly withdrew his finger after the examination with a disgruntled look upon his features.

"You woke me up for this?"

Catrina shuffled further away on the couch. "I'm sorry...I I had a nightmare." She felt awkward and indecent all of a sudden.

"Was I in it?"

"No."

"Then it wasn't a nightmare...Goodnight." Covers materialised out of thin air and fell upon Jack as he settled back down. "Now don't wake me unless your actually being murdered, I hate being awake with you around - means I have to fight off my ere..."Jack fell silent - he didn't want to reveal too much._'Why on earth did I ask her to stay...when I knew I would get like this?' _his eyes became slits as he shut Catrina out of his mind.

It wasn't Catrina's fault she was so pretty, wasn't her fault she had stayed, wasn't her fault that Jack had deliberately touched her up in her sleep.

Not wanting to stay any longer and provoke any bad dreams, or Jack's misbehaviour - she pushed herself up and crept out of the room and down the hall to her room. As she came through the door she let out a squeak as Francesca wispy form eyed her from the bed. "Yes?" Still weary about the events of her dream.

Francesca silently leaned and fell back on the covers, an irritated sigh escaped her dead lips. "Please tell me you haven't."

"How can he? ...I would be dead wouldn't I?...And what makes you think I would go ahead with it?" Catrina wrapped her arms around her - protecting herself from the cold. An uneasy look snuck across her features.

---------------------------------------------------------

Sorry took so long, sorry so short. R&R


	16. Chapter 16

_This is the updated version_

Dodge was having a run through the kitchen, draws where being opened and shut left - right, and centre. One draw he came across squeaked as it moved along the slider and he cringed. "Aa..."

"Hey Maureen we might have to oil-" His eyes fell on the silver heart locket, he recognised it as the pendant which Maureen had wore on their wedding day. He scooped it up. "Maureen come 'ere and take a look at this." Santos head popped up from the stairwell.

"Hey man she won't hear you, she's outside in the rain." Dodge took a gander out through the glass and onto the deck. He was right, she was standing in the rain in her trench coat, looking south. He tapped on the window.

* * *

Catrina's head popped around the side of the kitchen cupboard, at the same time her hand slid across the floor to balance her current position which ended up slipping through some stale gunk. "Eew." She wiped it on her skirt and pulled her body upright so she was completely hidden behind the cupboard. She stiffened when she heard the door creak behind her. There was a giggle followed by a pale hand suddenly coming from around the corner and grabbing Cat's shoulder. "Gotcha." Katie jeered.

"Damn, when am I going to win." She gave an exaggerated pout as she very -unlady like got up.

"Probably when you have the capability of sticking you protoplasmic head through ceilings and walls."

Catrina tied her redy-brown hair back. "Alright smarty pants." It had already occurred to her they were too old to be playing this game. "5 out of 6".

"Only if you get Franny to join in." Katie observed Catrina features drop from a smiley exterior to a look of dread. "Oh come on she isn't that bad."

Catrina shrugged her shoulders, she knew there wasn't any harm letting Katie's new friend play, but knowing Fran was looking around for her for entertainment she found quite iffy. _'Come to think of that she already does that.'_

Katie smiled knowing exactly what her companion was thinking, she was immediately pulled out of thought when she felt the sensation of a new soul entering the pack, or something tiltering on the rim of a quota cup. The smell of new born death was in the air and she prayed to God that Catrina couldn't feel it too, or not see the ceiling tiles shaking. Unfortunately Cat was looking at the ceiling, with a totally different look of dread with sickly green cheeks. Kate was sure Catrina could hear the screams, that was probably because there were audible screams. Her eye level came down to meet Katie's once more.

Her voice was but a whisper. "He's done it again hasn't he." Katie regretfully nodded. "Poor woman." She had shrunk herself down to the frightened self where she would wrap her arms around herself, and coyly look at her feet. It almost brought her to tears knowing that while she had been dallying, a girl had been murdered in a sexually explicit way. Jack had won that round, had she been aware he was at his little games again, she would of come crashing into the room and separate the ...she thought of a word 'intercoursing coupling', that made her laugh, but she pulled herself together realising how serious the situation was.

Katie pitifully stared at her, she was off on one her day dreams again. "A-hem."

Catrina jumped causing her spaghetti strap to slip off of her shoulder. "I'll go hide shall I?"

"You're a ghost, it's easier for you." Before the argument even commenced Katie had already whizzed down the hall, and vanished. Catrina abruptly closed her mouth so she didn't resemble a cod fish. The game had begun again, and she was already bored...and very depressed; another murder, sleepless nights...and she had begun to have vivid dreams of Jack half drowning her in a bath of blood then trying to rape her, she shuddered, luckily she would always wake up before his boxers came down, _sadly. _She broke into a horrified stare '_Oh shit I was disappointed I didn't see his love stick.' _She gasped this time. _'Uek...since when did I use the term love stick, ...huh and where would the love reside exactly.'_ Catrina came to the conclusion she had finally snapped.

"I sink you've gone mad." A drawling voice said, Francesca had faded into view. "You are staring and gasping aza empty space."

Catrina eyed her defensively. "You haven't driven me to edge yet." She said folding her arms trying to look tough. "I was remembering." The Italian woman simply clucked her tongue and floated towards her, but not invading her personal space, Catrina uncrossed her arms and adjusted her spaghetti strap.

"You may sink you are a big gurl now, but you a still afraid of ze whole world that 'evolves azound you." Catrina hadn't expected for her to come out with something as random as that, and had nothing to say on it. She saw Fran fade slightly, and distinctly felt her spiral her cold protoplasm around her, her red lips inches from her ear. "Your wallz are showing cracks." Catrina quivered she didn't turn her face to meet Fran's. "In coming." Frans had disappeared leaving her with those words as she had left a chill in the air.

"What?" It came clear when Jack walked around the corner, he was buttoning up his shirt not paying attention to where he as going. Catrina felt all she needed to do was stand dead still and wait for her legs to start working. He looked up last minute to see a girl looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"Catrina." He didn't physically say it but she noticed it played on his lips, and his usually cold sadistic eyes had hints of warmth in them, which looked completely alien. He grunted or more like cleared his throat as he finished doing up his last button. "How long have you been standing there."

"Long enough.". She wanted to pretend she didn't know, so she bolted. There will be no more awkward situations if she kept moving and Jack didn't stop her, he wasn't in the mood. She ran up a stairwell to her floor and rushed passed many ghosts until she came to her room, the door closed by itself before she could reach for it, Catrina calmed when Katie manifested in front of her outstretched hand on the door knob.

"Her name was Lily she was a Con-Artist, she's been to prison once and she married a bank robber."

"Oh". Catrina said and sat on the bed. "But I bet she has never killed anyone."

Katie shook her head. "She only stole".

"And that was her punishment." Her face contorted as if about to cry but she didn't and lay back on her bed. "How many more."

"Until the quotas full."

Catrina who had her hands pressed over her eyes, she had heard of this quota before. "How many souls?...left to go that is, not how many he's got already."

"Don't know...not many, it's pretty crowded." Katie closed her eyes. "I would say they are pretty lucky now."

Catrina quirked her eyebrow, and sat up appalled. "Sorry?"

Katie ashamed to say it cringed at the look on her face. "I mean the method isn't as terrible as it used to be." Catrina's expression had still not changed. "It's not a total slaughter, it's a little drainy thing."

"Any method used to extract a soul out of a living person is inhumane." She exclaimed her eyes wild, she flopped back down on the bed, her hair fanned across the duvet. "I'm not going to escape from this place, I don't want to, I can't bare to leave him doing his dirty work, I have to stop him some how."

"You don't think you're the only one that has tried, we've had demon slayers that have hunted him down and have fallen at the last hurdle." Katie did the blade across the throat sign with the sound affect.

"Wow, you mean like warriors, like Buffy?"

"What the bloody hell's a Buffy?"

"It's not a thing it's a fictional super hero girl that slays vampires and demons." Catrina exclaimed. "...From a tv show." She felt stupid adding that in.

"What kind of things do they show on tv nowadays?"

"Well it's a pretty old tv show now...but please tell me what they were really like...the demon slayers?"

Katie noticed Catrina's excitement, she thought it would be an ideal opportunity to take her mind of things. "Well it wasn't a girl for starters, it was a half human -half serpent thing, which didn't have any weapons at all, just a force field to repel items and persons away and into walls and such."

"Ooo…..similar to stuff seen on Buffy, and Harry Potter."

"Yes well, whatever." Katie not having a clue what these things were. "There was this rugged guy, he was human, he carried UV, silver, and gold bullets, not much good though."

* * *

"We're picking something up on radar." Santos was tapping the screen getting the others attention.

"Oooo is this it, is this it ….I'm ready, I'm ready man." Greer was jumping on the spot, punching air, while the others looked on in amusement.

"Erm, I don't think it is, we have another 400 hundred miles, I think it's a cruise liner, or a coast prowler."

"Oh man I was siked, I was in the mood for War." Murphy pulled Greer to his seat.

"How could any one look forward to War." It had been awhile since Munder had said anything. "I know I'm a big mocho man, but I need a plan and some serious ammo before I can stop feeling this ….unnerved."

"We have a plan, it involves dynamite." Murphy lifted the box up and dropped it. "And we have no intention of running in blindly, or hunting down Jack to lynch him, we were going to sneak Catrina off."

"Gotcha Cap, the old sneak on, sneak off, and light the fuse trick." Munder had a sarcastic tone, but Murphy hadn't picked up on that and walked out looking pleased he had settled something. "That is the perfect why to fight the good fight, and give the ultimate payback." Munder added half yelling after him.

"It's the next best thing." Maureen piped up, she knew full well she was going to get an earful.

"Why the hell did you reunite the whole gang for this mission if were not going to battle it out with the one thing that almost broke us apart!"

"You are going to battle it out, but with dynamite."

"-Not the same!"

Dodge stepped between the two of them. "Jack's a demon, you can't win with fists fights, and another thing don't you thing before this mission we were already broken apart, this is what has brought us together again!" Silence followed.

"…You know what you absolutely right, nothing has been gained, and we are going to lose it again."

"You can redeem yourself on 'it's' death, and we will have our daughter back, that's what's important, Munder." Dodge walked behind his wife and placed both hands firmly on her shoulder.

* * *

Catrina splashed her face with water from the basin, the room was cold so the moisture made it icy. She peered over at the cracked mirror on the dressing table, her pale face looked ghostly. The water made her feel clean, but her face wasn't the place she was worried about, she wanted a bath or a shower but there weren't any about, she hadn't bathed properly in weeks, she relied on the basin in her room with working taps with stale water. Catrina recalled her only moment of total freshness during capture was when she jumped over board, but she wasn't going to repeat that moment of madness.

She strolled into her bedroom in her underwear, her eyes went to the door that was closed, locked and barricaded, with a t -shirt hanging on the door knob covering the key-hole, _for obvious reasons._

Her wardrobe which was now missing a door since she had used it to burn on deck one time, was running low on clothes, she had tried cleaning them herself, but the stale water and lack of warm air made it difficult to freshen fabric. Catrina selected a pea green jumper, and track suit bottoms and slipped into them as quickly as possible. She flicked her hair out of the jumper, her locks were dull but not greasy, they had been washed, but without shampoo just stale soap. She missed her coconut shampoo, and strawberry and kiwi shower gel, plus her trusty tin of Vaseline which she would apply to her under eyes and lips. Catrina brought herself back to the room, aha a hairbrush… the only mundane thing which was familiar to her was a hairbrush that sat on the dressing table. Wasn't her hairbrush, it was Katie's, but it was lent to her. Her hair untangled immediately with a stroke, and she felt totally pampered after a minute.

The door knob clicked and clunked harshly in the wood, Catrina's head snapped around. "It's locked." she called. The knob continued to twitch, and the t-shirt dropped from the ball onto the chair against the door. "I said it's locked!"

The sound that followed was a slight bang, followed by a second which lead to the door jutting out of the frame, the chair roared as it was pushed slightly across the boards. The third bang brought the door open, and sent the chair tipping. Jack was leaning on the door, in a position blatantly obvious that he had forced it open.

"I did say it was locked."

Jack looked up at her sternly. "Yeah well I knew you weren't going to unlock it." He broke into a smile, which went to his eyes...almost. "What were you doing?" it was almost like a cheeky question.

"Nothing I wanted privacy." She had a desire to smile back but reframed from doing so. "You know… how you like it sometimes."

He did a little ecstatic groan. "Oh yes, and you know how I like it." He did a little jerk into to the room, and hipped the door close. Catrina rolled her eyes, he was giving her dirty talk, Jack noticed this and slyly coiled his lip, he picked up the tipped over chair. "I better return this to its normal position….on all fours." Catrina waited. "Do you like it on all fours."

Catrina grumbled. "The chair yes, not as a sexual position!"

"Oooooo, you got it." Jack ruffled her hair, Catrina used her brush to wack him in the abdomen. "Ooo I like S and M." Catrina jumped out of her seat, and backed away.

"Stop it, stop it now, you have no need to do this."

Jack sat into to her seat. "I do have a need to do this, I need to get satisfaction one way or another."

"You should be more careful." She adjusted her jumper. "You don't understand the danger."

"I didn't know you cared."

"Not you, it's me I'm scared for, you're just the cause." She barged past him, the door was close, but she felt his hand grab her upper arm tightly, she was startled. "I'm only going to the kitchen."

"Oh, that's alright then." She heard his voice drawl out, Catrina made for the door again, and again she was stopped by the hand which was still clutching her arm. "Don't forget your place." He then squeezed her arm cruelly. "I should always leave the room first." He gave a little tug, and even though it wasn't forceful, it still sent her back speedily and caused her to be wonky on her feet. She watched him go through the door, he reached for the handle to close it behind him, he paused. "What I came here to say in the first place was don't go near the engine room or the post room because it totally flooded, due to a gash in the bow." It came out calmly.

"We're sinking!" Catrina freaked she didn't want to be in a sinking ship, it was one of the worst things that could happen apart from being in a fire. "What are we going to do?"

Jack alien blue eyes cut right through her. "Nothing." He closed door with no expression on his face, which left Catrina wondering if he was just trying to freak her out. She came out of her room to see Jack turning into his room.

"Is this some kind of a joke, if we sink…..we die!" She was calling in the direction of his room.

His voice was clear as bell as it responded through the wall. "I won't!"

"Do you want the ship to sink?"

"It's not going to sink Cat, I won't let it!"

Catrina breathed a sigh of relief. "What's the plan then…..are we going to land?" She hid the hopefulness from her voice.

"Salvagers, I will bring them to repair the ship."

Catrina knew this was a ploy for another massacre, as she remembered her mother and father were salvagers. "You're not killing them, you let them repair, then you let them go." She waltz down the corridor, there wasn't a response which unnerved her. "Hey, promise me you will let them go." No response. She knocked attentively. _Oh he's not getting out of it that easily._ "Jack are you listening?"

_He couldn't possibly he would have to find some sinning salvagers, and have sex with them all. _"Jack these salvagers are good people they don't need to be collected." She turned her head sideways to listen for a response, nothing. Her hand twisted the door knob, it was locked. Catrina sunk onto her knees and pressed her eye to the keyhole, she couldn't see movement, all she could make out was the edge of a bed, a lone chair and the porthole above it. _He must have left already_. She rushed back to her room and picked up a steel nail, she had never picked a 'door' lock before, but there was a first time for everything. The nail fit into the lock easily, she held the knob and frequently twisted it as she clunked and clicked about. The nail pressed against a spring, and the knob twisted fully around, just by tapping the door it swung open.

"So much stuff, so little time." Her voice was hitched up like a witches, and she wiggled her fingers evilly. Her eyes fell on a little box on a dressing table. "And what's in here." She fingered the lid up. There was a ball of paper, and a pendant, and with no surprise to Catrina, a small dagger. She picked up the pendant, it was a black stone surrounded by a coil of steel wire. She opened the paper ball to discover a birth certificate. Her eyes went straight to the date '_12__th__ April 1918.' _Then she viewed the name with puzzlement _Mary Anne O'Riley_, the certificate was Irish. '_What in the world is he doing with this?' _She folded the paper neatly and put it back into the box. She drew herself away from the dressing table, and investigated the wardrobe, there were clothes but nothing out of the ordinary. A cardboard box sat on the top of a shelf, which she pulled down. She found a personal cassette player, an empty bottle of tequila, and a year book. She didn't hesitate having a flick through that. The date '1953' was inscrolled in gold on the inside cover and was bound to be an interesting read. She looked through it page by page, trying to piece together something significant by looking up names, but it all seemed random.

Catrina couldn't find Mary Anne in the book, '_but then again why would she be in the book ,she would be to old to go to high school…But not if she was a teacher.' _Her fingers flicked to the back of the book, she went through all the teachers, nothing. A new thought came into her mind. '_Don't be stupid Catrina, Mary is an Irish Citizen.' _She closed the book and sat it in its box, her back rested on the bed post observing the box. '_Jack Ferriman.'_ She brought the book back onto her lap, and focused on the names on every page. There were Several Jacks but none Ferrimans. '_Silly Catrina, Ferriman is an Alias for ferryman, shipper of souls.'_ She flipped the pages like a pack of cards, and came across a very thick page which happened to be two pages stuck together. Catrina delicately prized them away from each other, her eyes came to rest on the name 'Jack O'Riley' and her capturers face stared right up at her.

'_Oh my god, he's old…er than I thought, he's indestructible .' _She was horrified, this was beyond her head, he wasn't just a soul collector, he had a life before this, many years before this, and his mother was Irish, and by her own calculations had scandalously at the time, given birth to Jack, aged 19. She brushed the image with her finger. With her mind locked in deep thought she didn't notice Katie floating in through the door.

"Nosy nosy." Catrina jumped as she looked up.

"Oh Katie thank god it's you." Catrina turned the book in the English girl's direction. "Look look, Jack aged 16, 1953." She poked the page with her digit.

"Yes I already knew."

"And you didn't tell me!"

"Sorry deary."

"So this ship is a 1960s….eer ship." Catrina said not quite believing it.

"Yep, pretty old." Katie responded unfazed. "Have you figured out the part where Jack's mother is Irish."

Catrina eyes almost glazed over. "Yeah, and I feel I know to much." Katie feeling slightly sorry for her, sat on the bed and stroked her hair.

"Well I wouldn't say you know everything." Katie chimed.

Catrina closed the book with a thump. "I have time."

"Actually I can't go into any more details, it's too stressful, and Bobby is nagging me." Catrina happened to glance up towards the door and notice a friendly looking steward's head looking at her. Katie continued. "He's a little over protective."

"Can you blame me?"

* * *

Santos had made the chair in the helm his home, his body was tugged snugly into a sleeping bag, and his head was drooping to one side, his hat pulled over his eyes. He stirred as someone creaked upstairs behind him. "I'm awake." He sat up knocking over a packet of potato chips.

"Yeah No shit." Santos smiled when he recognised Greer's voice

"Is it swap time already?"

"No no, you just relax, I came up to get away from Munder, he's bugging me." Greer cracked his neck, and sat in a chair alongside Santos. "It's just not the same as it use to be, it's like everyone's a stranger."

"Yeah I know what you mean bro, it's like I don't belong here, I feel like every time I walk in a room I'm ease dropping, or trespassing, especially with Murphy."

"Yeah I heard about you an' Murphy, you think he could just let it go."

"Yes." Santos said enthusiastically as if he had finally found someone who agreed with him. "Sure I was an Asshole in death, but I was pissed…..". There were more creaks on the stairs, and both of Santos and Greer hushed, and slump down as if hiding.

"Greer you up here." Munder's voice paused as if listening. "I didn't mean to sound so insensitive, it was just a damn question." There was a sigh and then retreating footsteps.

Santos looked over towards Greer. "What was that about?"

"He said something random, and I didn't like it, it might have been simple, but weird…..and well, all I can say is…..err…..it's not for me to answer." Greer picked up a potato chip of the floor and nibbled on it with distaste.

"You can't leave it at that, tell me what he said."

Greer shifted in his seat. "I'm not repeating it. If he asks you, you will know, and hopefully you will give him the same answer I did."

"Come on, if it was disturbing, I'll be used to it." He poked Greer's shoulder. "I'll confront Munder about it if you tell me."

Greer looked defeated. "Okay, he said…and these were his exact words, what do you think would be worse for Maureen and Mike, finding their daughter dead, or beaten and raped."

"Jesus."

"I know."

"That's fucked up." Santos stood up, and wizzed past Greer before he could say anything. "Hey Munder!"

* * *

Catrina and Katie stood looking down a stairwell that was filled with sea water. "I was down there a few days ago, now look at it."

Katie shuck her head. "Imagine those salvagers will clear this, and find a load of gold down there in the process."

"Oh fuck." She side glanced at Katie and covered her mouth. "Err sorry, pardon the language." Katie waved her hand as if to say it was okay. "I totally forgot about the gold, it will drive them insane with greed, it will make them stay….then they will be killed." Catrina took a step forward and half of her leg was engulfed in water, Katie grabbed her.

"What you doing, it's submerged, don't say it's driven you m-"

"No it hasn't, I need to dispose of it." Catrina grabbed a bar as she tread down the steps, and sunk even deeper into the cold water, her teeth chattered as it soaked through her clothes. " Damn me for forgetting it, I could have taken it days ago."

"You will drown…again"

"Not if I hold my breath very well, and find a good air pocket." She glanced into the dark murky depth, recalling the moment she drowned, it brought a lump to her throat. "If I'm quick, say bring it here brick by brick then…. I'll be….." She couldn't stop thinking about her death. "Oh mother." She sighed, she sucked in a load of air, and put her head under, she used the railings to pull and guide her down.

Katie shook her head dismayed. "Oh." Katie sunk through the railings into the water, and passed through Catrina at the bottom of the stairwell. Catrina was startled, and struggled to keep hold of her breath, she shot up, and luckily into an air pocket.

"Katie, you didn't have to follow, but thanks."

"My Aura has a glow, a great light source to help you find your way."

"That would be handy, lead the way." Catrina smiled, and halted Katie before she disappeared. "Bless you." Katie beamed, _No literally she's a bloody ghost she glowed._

Catrina followed Katie who floated forward without swimming leading her through the water logged corridors, she frequently saw Katie look back with a look of concern to see if she was having difficulties, and Catrina would give her the thumbs up to not worry her. The truth was she was suffering; the cold water was stinging her face and eyes, she was running out of air, she kept floating to the ceiling and banging her head, and the strength in her arms were failing, and she had nothing to pull her forward, just debris that cluttered the hall. They turned a corner, Katie looked back for the tenth time, Catrina waved her hand in front of her face in distress, Katie looked about in panic…no air pockets.

To Catrina it was happening again the air was going, her lungs were failing, there was panic, her arms were all over the place, she was no longer floating to the ceiling but falling towards the debris, strangely enough Katie had grabbed her hand, and it felt solid. Catrina was getting dazed she looked up and saw Katie was pointing towards a doorway, then up. Catrina used her remaining bit of strength to pull her forwards, she grabbed the doorframe and dragged herself through and her head popped up into ….air, sweet sweet air, Catrina gasped loudly. "Oh god Katie, it nearly happened." Katie nodded.

"Doesn't seem like a brilliant idea does it now."

"I don't think I can do another trip, well to go back yes." She was distraught, she couldn't do the simplest thing. "I don't think I can move any of the gold, cause it would only be one brick I could bring back." Catrina seen her companion nod.

She had a brainwave, but it was stupid but simple. "Katie find a wrench, and something sharp."

"Wish I knew what you were thinking."

"You won't need to you will see, it's a stupid little thing, it won't work, but I have to do something." Catrina's eyes were bloodshot, and saddened by her hopelessness.

* * *

Jack stalked new meat at the docks, his plan of action; find a sinful bunch of salvagers, or a least a bunch that can be easily converted, preferably dominated by women, lure them to the ship, and feed. He walked by some men who where offloading a vessel, they where singing a sea chantey. '_Not them they will sing_ _throughout the whole journey there.' _He approached a very modern looking boat which had by the looks of it had never been on a real journey ever in it's short life, a man was cleaning the helm window. Another man was rigging the sails, then to Jack's contentment he spotted 3 women who seemed to be court up in the Dallas era, who were in there 30s but had 80s permed hair, skirts, jackets, and gold chains and hooped ear-rings, they where pacing the decks ordering the men about. They weren't what he had in mind, they were spoilt, and looked incapable of salvaging. Jack noticed a woman had looked his way, he smiled innocently, and gave a reserved salute before moving towards the bar. He sensed her curiosity, and was pleased to sense her follow him.

Catrina's teeth were chattering as she rubbed her hair with a towel. "You wouldn't happen to have hair dryer would you?"

Katie had her protoplasmic head through the door out of sight, she pulled it back through when she realised she was being addressed. "Nope sorry."

"The hair must be dry before he gets back…..and the clothes, and maybe this…" She held up her blooded finger.

"Let's just hope he hasn't transformed into Vampire while being away."

"I wouldn't be surprised." Catrina smiled at Katie who had already begun tittering. "It won't matter when the salvagers get here, he will find out." Katie stopped laughing, Catrina wished she hadn't, it made her feel more insecure about what she had done and where she was. She only wished she had an escape goat, or a special room which had an anti-demon force field.

"He's been gone 3 hours."

Catrina shrugged. "That's not long, he's been gone a whole day before."

She had never seen Jack get on the boat normally, or see him arrive loaded with stuff, he just seemed to be here and there, she greatly questions his ways of boarding with the people he brings 'home'. "Does he travel with the salvagers?"

"Course he does, it's the human image, befriends them, travels with them, he can get to know them better in close quarters."

"-I bet he does." Catrina turned her head and coughed. "To bad it never ends in friendship."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Normally in my fan fictions I try to put both points of view in the same parts, but I thought I 'd give it a go in this chapter, in another words you'll see a POV thingy.**_

Dark clouds formed over the sea, a low rumble emitted from the morbid sky, rain had not yet fallen but sparks of light came from the eye of the brewing storm.

Catrina awoke from her slumber in an odd position on the floor, as she raised her head, her face peeled from the floorboards like masking tape on a reel. Her hair was curly and zig-zaggy, and felt kinda sticky from drying naturally after being soaked with salt water. "Katie?" She had been left alone. Or had she, she stumbled up and wrenched open the door. She called half loudly down the corridor "Jack!"

"I'm leaving the room." She waited, her eyes left the door of Jack's room and wandered back up the corridor then she glanced into a room to see if he had appeared. "I'm escaping." Silence followed.

She then mumbled. "I'm naked." This time she sprung in different directions, doing a ninja type dance to check the hall. It was now apparent that he still wasn't onboard. She proceeded down the corridor, towards the main hall which would lead to the reception, to her surprise she came across no ghosts, not even a cold draft. It was a mystery to her where ghosts go to when they weren't hunting, do they wonder back to the realm of the afterlife, and cross back?

"Katie?"

Catrina was now level with the fish tank. "Francesca?".

It was muggy outside, the heat of the day was trapped beneath brownish clouds. Agoraphobia began to set in as she saw the watery horizon, it was creepy, on a sinking vessel in the middle of nowhere, no life boats, and the water was bloody cold. Her mother would probably love this, not to mention her father she thought, this would be their ideal second honeymoon. Catrina rest her head on folded arms and leant on the side. This is where she could have died, but she hadn't, or raped but she hadn't. She feared spending the start of her adult life here, no chance to make new acquaintances - living that is, or further education, she would be forgotten and referred to as another student who disappeared off the face of the earth, her friends probably thought she had gone bag packing in Europe.

'_Have my parents told the law?'_ Wasn't there a search /rescue party out looking for her. Her mind came to her boyfriend, he was probably the most worried, the last time they had spoke was….crap she couldn't remember, she couldn't remember the last thing she had said to him. _'Was it something like ' call you tomorrow?'_ That tomorrow was weeks ago. The last few weeks she remembered of their relationship before the abduction were patchy, he was constantly working, and their conversations were short and non- existent, and when it seemed like it was over …there would be another outing together. Then when she would meet up with Emma, she would call him by the wrong name, which would kick up a fuss. He would either assume she hadn't told Emma about him, or she had been cheating on him.

Maybe this was a blessing, no more awkward chats with Robert, and she was saving money not going out with him, Emma wouldn't be embarrassing her, though she did find it kind of funny.

She felt a spot of rain on her nose, and stood up ready to go inside, she glanced about her and approached the door….Catrina froze, she had saw something, she brought her eye line to the horizon, there was a dark shape, she stumbled to the side. '_Good God.' _She gasped in owe at the sight, a boat, could it be Jack's method of getting here and back, or …no….with the salvagers he's going to kill. Or her parents. She made a dash for the helm, Catrina sprinted along A deck, and up a flight of stairs, she banged through a set of doors. The smut covered windows didn't help, so she squeezed herself through the window she had used before, some of the frame gave way, and stumbled 10ft below. She regained her composure and pulled herself onto the roof. She lay down on the rust and watched the boat creep closer and closer to the eagerly awaiting ship…..the main thing is could they see the ship, was it hidden to the naked eye.

* * *

"Guys, I'm getting odd readings." Santos called down the com. Murphy approached from the rear.

"But we are no where near the same co-ordinates as last time."

"Perhaps he moved, it's a ship for christ sake."

Maureen and Dodge were tearing up the stairs, looking hopeful. "Is it, is it?" They said over each other.

"Well if it is it's moved a couple hundred miles, and it's changed shape." Murphy announced snatching up a clip board to take down the co-ordinates.

"At least it ain't night time." Greer turned the tug sharply.

"I don't see anything, it's just a clear horizon."

"It was like that the last time." Santos was now facing them.

* * *

Jack was sitting in a swivel chair in a helm of an old tug, there were 4 men with him, each had been appointed with there own tasks, they had no intention of getting to know him, he was there for merely guidance and insurance, well that's what they thought. He will strand them onto the ship, so they will have no choice but to fix it, then he will kill them, but in the end his quota will gain nothing, it would only be worth it if he braved having sex with the men. But it wasn't just about doing it, he had limitations, and that was getting a hard on for men, which would not come naturally, but by artificial means, Viagra. But he couldn't possibly enjoy himself, and neither will they. There has to be something to work with from the beginning, like primal urges, or lust, but these men seemed like women's men, booze and women, and they stunk of it too, plus cigarettes and fish.

Jack began his seasick routine, and began looking queasy and tired. One man who he believed was known as Carl noticed and commented. "You not gonna barf on me are yeh?" Jack smiled as pleasantly as he could.

"No just feeling the sway that's all, how long do you think it's going to take?"

"Well by your co-ordinates, 20 minutes." Jack wasn't surprised, but showed it.

* * *

The shape bobbed up and down in the waves, it was still a speck, Catrina squinted she couldn't make out any colours, or anything. _'You would think they would pick it up a notch.' _She fidgeted on the roof, the rough rust pulled threads on her jumper, she could feel the metal beneath her slightly bending and she jumped up, and moved towards the edge where her window was located., she went through the window. As she set her foot down on the flooring, Katie whizzed through the wall. "Somebody's coming, somebody's coming!"

"I see it Katie, it's not going very fast, can you sense who it is?"

"I don't think it's Jack." Katie said emphasizing every word and watching for Catrina's reaction.

"But they're coming here, I could approach them immediately on arrival say I've been stranded for ages, nothing's on board…to stop them from snooping. " Katie nodded in agreement. "And ask them politely to give me a ride to shore, where I will make my way home. " Catrina finished out of breath.

"Salvagers don't usually assist without taking a look."

"Do you think they will want to explore the part that's sunk?"

"Yes, they will even probably fix the damn thing and claim it as their own before taking you to shore, because it's what salvagers do!"

"Damn Salvagers!" Catrina exclaimed, she paced and tried to see through the dirty glass. "Damn glass." She paced some more, she knew her parents use to do this sort of thing, hell they probably fixed this ship originally, and yet they weren't killed? Is this where the bargain came in, where she came in? Her parents wouldn't offer her in return for their lives, it's sheer cowardess. The little English girl had noticed Catrina's pacing had stopped, and her face had become hard.

"It could be your parents you know?"

Catrina's face softened. "Could be, but this is their fault in the first place."

"So would you rather it not be them, sweetie."

Catrina turned her back on Katie, she didn't know what to think, her life would have obviously been better off if her parents hadn't been salvagers, then again she probably wouldn't have been born, she knew her parents met through salvaging. A world without her wouldn't have been a total catastrophe she thought, she wouldn't have gone through the pressure of school, she wouldn't have had to stress over dragging herself to parties to make herself fit in, her friends would have probably found better friends that wouldn't have to talk each other into to going to gigs. Her Dad would have never caught her smoking pot, Robert would have probably gone out with Mandy, another mate who sat next to her on that couch at that house party. She wouldn't feel this constant weight or shadow over her, which had lingered over her entire childhood, and made a lot of sense now, then it would've done a year ago. Catrina hadn't realised that her face was streaming with tears, she placed her hands on her heated cheeks and felt the damp and quickly brushed it away with the sleeve of her jumper.

"What a horrible thing to think of?" Catrina mumbled, hoping Katie wouldn't pry, having Katie think she had lost it wouldn't make her feel worse, and incapable of defeating this.

She heard Katie speak quietly. "Don't you want to be rescued?"

Think. To be rescued by the people who put her in this mess, she would be expected to run to them and throw her arms around them thanking them, and to hear them say 'thank god you're alive', what would that mean exactly? Catrina tore her eyes away from the window, and spied Katie looking at her in an usual way. Crap. She had left her pause to long, and hadn't spoke aloud what she thought, now she is going to get the wrong idea. Crap. Just say something God. Crap. Anything.

"Of course I do."

"Oh right…it seemed li-"

"No, I was just thinking of who it could be." _'You didn't have to lie about that, you could have said the truth, damn you.'_ She smiled warmly at Katie before approaching. "If I am to be rescued, well." Katie tipped her head, Catrina couldn't help but grin at this action. "I'm going to miss you." Katie's ghostly cheeks bloated as she smiled, Catrina could almost see her own smile on the little girl's face. "And I must say, as an only child, I wouldn't know of what it must be like to have a sibling, but I imagine a little sis would be like you." Katie mouthed an 'Awww'.

"Dido." Katie replied. " Sappy but Dido." Catrina threw her head back and laughed. Katie couldn't help but laugh aswell, Catrina's was contagious.

* * *

Roger was hugging his wife. "You worried." He stroked the back of her head while rocking her.

"Kind of worried yes, but not tense." She pulled back and gave him a quizzical look. "You?"

"I should be but I'm not, at all." He stared passed her slightly ashamed. "Sorry but I want to be honest."

"The atmosphere is all wrong, we should know if we are nearly there, and I feel anxious but only because I don't feel we are any where near, there's no war today, and I'm not going to say anything…"-

Roger added. "Because you think you might be wrong." Maureen knew he knew and she herself to him again.

After about 5 minutes, Dodge broke the silence. "You know last night I was thinking of the little things, like did she get that job, and shes missed her first day of College, and did I turn the bathroom light of before I left the house." He felt his wife chuckle slightly.

"It's odd but just earlier I thought shes missed her first day of college, she's not going to be happy about that." She heard someone coming downstairs and twisted her husband around so she could look over his shoulder at who it was. Munder stopped at the sight before him.

"There's nothing there, we've been searching the water and we spotted a fishing boat, it seems we closer to land than we thought."

"Our radar must by on the fritz, we going to have the coast guard tracking us." Maureen sighed, the guns and explosives on board won't look good to law enforcers eyes. "Well we're salvagers we could easily convince them the explosives are used in our trade, the guns…."

"We have a license for two of them, but for the other 4, we're screwed." Dodge had broke away from Maureen and was heading for the crate of ammo. "Damn murderers walk around with these, and for the people that need them, they get taken away and we get a slap on the wrist." It angered him to be defenceless, the guns are nothing up against Jack, he knew it, but he didn't wish to be less of a weapon.

* * *

She used the wheel within the helm, to rest her chin on as she stared out of the window she had managed to clean. The boat was very close, 250 yards and wasn't showing any signs of slowing down.

When she began to hear it she stood up and approached the window, it didn't look familiar. She clattered her way to the door to get a better view of the boat, but avoided showing herself. No signs of life onboard, although they were probably inside the vessel. She couldn't get any closer to the railing for fear of being seen, the tug hummed along side of the Antonio Graza, and stopped completely. Catrina could hear the waves made sloshing on the side of the ship. She backed off into the helm, through the doors, down the stairway from where she came, and into the main hall, she did a little jump over some of the debris, and skidded to a halt in front of a tiny porthole, almost.

She had a good view of the boat, a man with a baseball cap had shown himself, and was attempting to throw a grapple hook onto the deck, the clatter could be heard throughout the whole boat. After several attempts the grapple hook hooked onto the railings, the rope pulled taught and she seen he climb up the rope, some more salvagers came out onboard, she had burst of confidence Catrina rushed to a port door, and opened it. She went outside. The man had already made it to the top and was walking towards the prow of the ship, away from her, she went in his direction, she slowed down when she noticed the grapple hook which was locked solid in position, and the rope attached was jolting. Catrina didn't know if she should greet the person coming up, but then decided to proceed to the prow. She looked to the front she spotted the door that lead to the main deck was open, and she could hear someone clattering about inside.

Catrina was at ease, and felt ready to get attention, she grumbled to clear her throat, then. "Hel-" She never finished her sentence because she felt a hand clamp around her mouth, and a sturdy arm wrap across her own arms. Total alarm went through her head, she hadn't been expecting that and she went stiff as board, she was weirdly aware of her heartbeat in her stomach and throat. Why would a salvager grab her like this, she didn't look that threatening did she? They were pulling her backwards, she snapped into defensive mode. "WHUT UR OO DOUN!" Which is all she heard through their hands.

"What am I doing? What are you doing?" She recognised Jack's drawling voice, well, what made it drawling was the volume he was speaking at. Catrina rolled her eyes.

"I knew I should have checked, it's not like I've trained you to stay put." The weight on her feet was gone as she was being lifted and pulled backwards, she was filled with disappointment and dread, she had been discovered by the wrong person, and going to be locked in her room/cell. "If you were seen I would have to kill them, you do realise, and the ship would surely sink, with you still on it."

-Jack's POV-5 minutes before

He observed the salvagers moving about doing each of there tasks, as his beloved wreck filled the window. Jack smiled with anticipation, more death, a fixed ship, and a not so happy Catrina, and he couldn't wait. These Salvagers were fools, they never read memos at the local bars 'Salvagers missing, boats disappear.' With one ruffle of his hair he stood up and watched Steel outside swinging a grapple hook. Sure it was cheap equipment, but what do you expect? Jack watched Steel make a third attempt, his patience was wearing thin, it would be easier for him to aim if he took that damn baseball cap off. After attempt five the hook locked into place, and Carl let out a "Yeeehaaa!" Which made him cringe, he let out a sigh knowing he wasn't going to have to kill them for sheer lack of skill with the grapple hook.

"Woaw that was a high throw." He forced out.

"Yes well it's not his first time." Carl jeered, giving Jack a little shove out of the helm and up onto the deck.

'_You could have fooled me.'_

Steel to his surprise had already shot up the rope, and had his hand on the railings of the Antonia Graza pulling himself up and over. Shit. Jack snatched the rope before, any of the other crew got the greedy little hands on it.

"Err…Jack wouldn't you want to wear some gloves, or wait till we get a zip cable and harness up for you." Jack answered them by speedily climbing up, and reaching the deck in record time, he glanced down, and smirked down at their baffled faces. He swiftly found Catrina walking around the front and disappearing, he let out grunt of displeasure, and with haste walked in the direction of the prow. He felt a pang in his chest as he got a whiff of rose scented soap, and as he reached the bend, Catrina had by then had come to a halt and was staring at the door. '_Aaaa she's chickened out, having second thoughts.' _Jack found himself shuffling forward towards her silently, he was right behind her, so close he could smell and feel her hair tickling his face. He heard her take a breathe and he didn't have to act quickly, he was quick, he brought his hand over her soft lips.

Jack was frog marching her to her room, he squeezed her shoulders maliciously as they reached the open doorway, with a final shove she was in her room. "Now you be good now." he said waging his finger, a lopsided grin slipped onto his face as he slowly closed the door, just before it clicked shut, through the slit, he saw Catrina fall back onto her mattress.

Damn him to hell she thought, she clucked her tongue, '_He's probably soundproofed the room.' _The door was indeed locked, and firmly.

Jack walked towards the main hall straight into the salvagers having their meeting.

"Hey Jack you looked around already, and without our say." Steel seem to emphasize every word, with everyone else nodding in agreement.

Jack bubbled under the surface. "I didn't look everywhere just the deck, and that hallway, no big deal." He could feel the weight of his pen knife in his coat pocket, just in case he got irritable.

"Well next time inform us, we're supposed to be a team." He turned toward his crew. "Right Kaminski you go with Carl to the-"

Jack immediately intervened. "Why don't explore the ship as one, no need to scatter."

"We don't want to put our weight in one area of the ship, and we'll get stuff done quicker." "Common sense Jack."

Jack nodded in his absent minded way, and turned his back on the group and pretended to look around the great hall. He couldn't let go that Catrina was only a few yards away. She wasn't very trusting, and yet now she is behaving, now she knows her place, that wasn't normal.

In that moment in time he wished he had an additional power of X-Ray vision, to see what she was currently up to behind the walls, it could be useful for other things aswell. One power he did have was aura sensing, but underwear never seems to show up on auras. He was snagged out of thought by the sight of clicking fingers inches from his face. "Earth the Jack, let's get going". He kept his face as neutral as possible before cracking a fake timid smile.

"Okey Dokey." The words seemed to drop down from the greatest depth of his mind and fall out of his mouth, he shuddered. "You will be the first to die." He muttered as the guy walked past him.

"What was that?"

"Erm….I said, I could do with some pie."

She rattled the door handle, clutching it with both hands, and grunted as it didn't twist. "JACK!"

Nothing.

"JAAAAAAACK!" She wasn't just yelling for Jack, but for the whole boat, surely someone would hear something and suspect. "ANYONE, JACK'S GOING TO KILL YOU!" Her mouth was running away with her, her mind was blanking out the consequences. "HE'S GOING TO KILL MORE AFTER YOU, HE LIKES IT, HE FUCKING LIKES IT!"

She followed that with silence so she could listen, she pressed her ear against the door, then she lay on her stomach and listened to the floor. It was like the ship was completely empty. But she knew it was it was now crawling with life, and lingering death.


	18. Chapter 18

_**So Sorry I took sooooooooooo long, I need to spell check it.**_

Catrina had developed an obsession with the floor boards, she figured if she picked at some long enough they would loosen, and she would have access to the room below. She sighed for the umpteenth time, dropped her slate of metal and rubbed at the cramp in her hand. Her boredom was driving her insane, she knew if she stopped; she would be a blubbering mess, or become some heretic. The worry of that is what brought her to the decision of scratching on the floor boards. Since she had no paper and stationery, Catrina couldn't indulge in her hobby of sketching.

Over the next hour she had drew a picture of herself standing on a star, with Katie observing from a great height on the next board. Jack; she had begun to draw as a rat, but then drew him as an Egyptian, she started to draw his mother when the floorboard shifted. Ever since she had been trying to lever the board up and file at the exposed metal.

Her trail of thought returned to Jack's mother, a descent attractive woman bringing up a brooding Jack. Katie smoothed into room to quietly observe her. "You know he's unlocked the door right?"

* * *

Maureen wrenched open the helm door, her hood up and flapping, water sprayed in from behind her and into the cabin, she firmly banged the door shut behind her. Everybody looked up. She sniffed, and revealed her wet face. "I've lost my damn hat." She mumbled. Of course as she expected; no reaction, there were more pressing issues at hand. Her husband simply gave her a straight lipped smile.

"Okay... what's wrong?" She looked from one to the other suspiciously.

Murphy grabbed her attention. "Either our calculations have been wrong, or someone here has been little careless." He side glanced at Santos.

Her mouth did an impression of a draw bridge. "We're not in the wrong place are we, I know the radar went funny, but it's okay now, plus we have the old fashion way-."

"-He doesn't mean the co-ordination. But the food, the rationing." Said Roger. "It's vanishing."

She looked at them disbelievingly and walked past them in a huff and wrenched the cupboards open one by one, as she molested each container she got more frustrated as the tell-tale rattle or rustle of empty spaces continued through her search. Maureen finally slammed the last cupboard, and slouched against the unit facing them. "Jesus Guys you are pigs, what are we supposed to do now?"

"It's not me, nor Greer he's on a diet!"

"-Hey...I said that in confidence!" Greer protested flicking a tooth pick at Munder. "If you ask me something fucked up is going down here, yesterday in the storage we had 3 burlaps of rice, 10 cans of beans, 5 Jars of beef jerky, and a sack of oranges." He didn't even blink. "When I went down there this morning I found half a burlap, 3 cans of beans, no beef jerky, and one fucking orange!"

"What the fuck, that's impossible we had one meal yesterday, whose been eating?" Maureen scolded the crew with her glare.

Santos cleared his throat. "It's not me, it's suspicious I know, but no one is going to own up for it, the question is what are we going to do? We can't ration what we have!"

"-What do you wanna do smart ass." Murphy chuntered.

"I think he's implying we go to the coast."Maureen interjected. "I don't want to, it'll put us back 2 days, but we have to." She sighed locking eyes with her husband. "But it doesn't mean I let this occurrence go, we have to be careful." She made her way outside, she had been spending most of her time out there as if smelling the air for her daughter. The door creak behind her, and she assumed it was her husband, Murphy appeared on her right staring at the horizon.

"I don't want to worry you Maureen, love, but it seems something's against us, I'm losing faith."

Maureen could see it in his eyes, not just the tiredness but betrayal. "We'll be quick..and we'll find her."

Murphy's head now faced her, a look of determination. "That's not what I meant. I smell sabotage in the air, descent in the ranks."

* * *

Katie tugged at Catrina's retreating cardigan. "They're not onboard."

"He hasn't...?"

"No, they're back at base you might say. Jack's watching you-"

-"OH WELL I HOPE HE CAN HEAR ME, THE BASTARD!" Katie placed a cold hand near her mouth.

"Now's not the time to be Queen Bitch, he's pissed and slightly drained."

Catrina found it funny she was struggling with a ghost. "Good he'll be easier to swot!"

"Trust me, you don't want to go near him now, he found your little message written in blood in the box while he with the salvagers." She felt Catrina stiffen.

Catrina had a moment of revelation, which was now being replaced with stone in the stomach fear. "And?"

"It freaked the guys out, Jack was trying to reassure them for half an hour, but he's pissed, I thought he was coming to kill you, he unlocked your door for Christ-sake." Katie indicating to door which Catrina was fiddling with, Cat was slightly confused, _why hadn't he come in?'_ Though that's a relief right?

Katie continued in her desperate voice. "I think he's either changed his mind and just allowing you more time, ...or he's waiting for you to go to him." Katie's voice quietened towards the end.

Catrina's nerves were rattled, she took a step back from the door as if it were Jack himself. "Why, why would he do that?" She was looking desperately through Katie.

Katie sighed. "I have no idea, he's rattled himself, you know when I said he's drained?" Catrina didn't like Katie's sudden need to whisper, she nodded slowly. "I think he's having one of his funny turns, he's hungry sweetheart, and he's keeping his distance like a good boy, but for how much longer." Katie finished, the woman in front of eyed the door once again.

For Catrina it started to make sense, his condition, _Maybe it'll kill him?..Nare he'd probably live forever. _"The door's open just in case he changes his mind." Catrina whispered more to herself than anything. "By me going to him that will make the decision for him, Oh such a dangerous game." She narrowed her eyes at the entrance.

Katie leaned towards her ear to snap her out of her trance. "Barricade yourself in."

"Again, I've spent 2 hours thinking about getting out. I get so bored, Katie."

"I have something we could do?" Katie suggested, Catrina merely quirked her eyebrows.

"Yes! I like it, I really, really like it, I've never been so pleased with my genetics than I am now...this is more exciting than getting fitted for my first bra." Her hair had been crimped, the old fashioned way; knotted to within in an inch of its life with handkerchiefs. Katie also had spent a lot of effort trying to grip the tube of lipstick, and it had been applied near perfect. Though the thing she was most excited about was the bodice Katie had found, every girls dream was to try on interesting clothes, especially ones that were most unlikely to be worn in everyday life. Though she wasn't wearing it on its own, but over the top of a V neck, it certainly made her feel like a lady...for once.

"I envy you."

"Don't worry your time will come soon." Catrina smiled curtly, then it hit or in a flash, realising her error, she cringed at the coldness emitting from Katie standing behind her, she turned hoping to look as apologetic as possible, and found she couldn't look round. She placed the mirror back on the vanity. "I'm sorry Katie, I forgot." She reached her hand over her shoulder hoping to make contact with Katie. Protoplasm milked over her hand like silk. "50 years is a long time." Catrina heard a '_woosh_', and she immediately turned to find her room empty. Her heart was in her throat. _50 years __is__ way too long to be a child._

_

* * *

_

An amazing beautiful woman, she gained independence from dependence after her father gave her a $10,000 to find a place to live, she moved into a small apartment in which she painted all the rooms purple, she drove a beetle car, worked in a boutique, and she was one of the first women to go to college from her area. She meets her future husband at a music concert, they date for 8 months before he pops the question. They marry, their first dance as a married couple is to a folk song, the honeymoon is overshadowed by a sudden bout of sickness, which turns out to be none other than morning sickness; she is 5 weeks pregnant. She gives birth to a boy, she names him Charlie. Another 3 years goes by and she gives birth to another boy she names Jacob, it would be another 6 years before she has another child, her final child; a girl named Maureen...her beautiful baby, but of course it's impossible, she's too young to have a baby, she's only 12 years old, she never got to see her parents, she was never given any money by her father, she never meets her husband, she never grows up...because she's already dead. ...

...Katie sighed while floating between two rooms, her face etched in innocent sorrow, her now glossy eyes swirling with the maturity of her true age. '_Some after life!'_

Sorry I took so long...r&r


	19. Chapter 19

Catrina felt sick, though, when hadn't she felt sick? Her feeling of absolute calm while playing dress up had reached an anti-climax, and she was now restless. One moment she was talking to Katie the next she felt drowsy. She recalled telling her companion to excuse her flippancy, and she maundered towards her door and out, ignoring Katie's pleas, _Why am I ignoring her pleas?_

Her clothes felt really heavy, and she felt irritable that they were stalling her from her designated destination. _Where am I going exactly?_

She saw the door looming in the distance, Jack's door. A freakish thought of her being possessed into going there, made her claw at the walls to slow her down, and yet her feet calmly continued forward. Her relentless squirms came to a stop, when her hand brushed the door knob and continued down the hall, to her surprise._ Then where am I going?_

Her unease seemed to take away her lapse of drowsiness, but not her strength to fight what was..._controlling her?_

_Okay the ballroom_. She pushed through the lobby doors and maundered into the living space, before crossing the boards of the dance floor. Catrina glanced at the clock, _5 to 10._ Her feet were now shuffling, as if she was finally gaining control, and the involuntary movements were less prominent. With fortitude she made herself stop in front of the dining tables. Her person then abruptly became aware she wasn't alone, an eerie coldness had filled the room, leaving her a sensation as she had just took a step too far and was plummeting to her death.

She turned on the spot and faced her greatest fear standing in the doorway. It felt as if she was going to meet her maker.

Jack looked...healthy?..meaning; not on the verge of death or crippled with a sweat rendering ailment. _What gives?_ _Has he overcome it, or was this...it._ She remained where she was frozen as if waiting for him to answer, then he moved casually towards her. Catrina waited, her face neutral as she could allow.

His facial expression remained melancholy until a fleeting ripple of twisted gentleness passed over his aristocratic features as he closed in on her. He stopped his advance mere inches away from her, squaring his shoulders and gazing down upon her in a possessive nature which further sent chills down her spine.

It was then she smelt it. An unpleasant odour. An unrecognisable scent which had narrowing her eyes with both suspicion and curiosity. Catrina stared straight at the mockingly handsome man, and to her bewilderment the man's clothes dissolved of their colour and shape. She didn't bother to rub her eyes, nothing could be unbelievable in her life time at present. His clothes were now brown, leathery and caked in what could have been blood or mud, to her slight horror. Though what had her reeling was the face, it was morbidly morphing into another.

Her hand dropped from her lips as dread lashed through her like a bitch slap and she moved further away from the figure, scared. Her hip collided with a table behind her, though she was too distracted to react.

The now unrecognisable man had brown near black eyes, and a beaky nose, greying hair, and a slight stubble. His lips curled into a friendly smile, though his entrance made it seem less so.

"Why hello there, Catrina."

Her face devoid of expression, but her eyes alert with weariness, the man before her in his unfamiliar glory seemed content with her blankness. She cleared her throat. "Hello." She dryly replied very unsure why she had even bothered replying to someone who was obviously a threat; he displayed traits of that possessed by Jack. _Two demons, fuck off!_

He pretended to look around. "What are you doing in a place like this?" She seemed to have lost the ability to make conversation, and nearly gaped at his friendly demeanour. "Or as they say what's a nice girl like you doing in a shit hole like this?"

Catrina eyed the space around her as if waiting for something to sweep in to prevent her talking to him. Her sudden shyness amused him, and he picked up her hand, an action which startled her into looking into his eyes. "My dear I am only here to help." She noticed his hands were warm. "Come with me, I fear you're in great danger." His eyes were full of sincerity, she had a sudden need to smile gratefully but her commonsense made her slip her hand out of his warm grasp.

She found her voice. "Who are you?"

He smiled. "A soon to be friend."

She huffed. "I don't make a habit out of making friends so quickly, you can quit with this facade...I'm not buying it." She tried to remain calm.

"Oo I like you already, not sure if I prefer this or the quiet version. Well never mind...you're coming with me regardless." He made a move to grab her arm, and she jumped to the side.

"-Wait just a minute...I don't know who the hell you are, if you wanted me to trust you...then why would you feebly appear to me as Jack!" Her voice squawked still shuffling away.

"Because it's what you wanted."He replied unfazed, holding her now mortified gaze.

"What, what's that supposed to mean?...You succeeded in creeping me out, that's not what I or anyone else would have wanted!" Her hand fondled for anything on the table behind her as a makeshift weapon.

"We both know that's not true, you can be easily just like any other girl, in it for a cheap thrill, a devil woman waiting to drop her pants and fall at the knees of some tall dark stranger." He seemed to almost snarl, but really his eyes were just mocking, _did she really come across like that?_

Catrina didn't hold back her aghast, her mouth fell open and she frowned. _How dare he. _"If you seem so confident, why am I not swooning? I never trust anyone her touches me on my first meeting, and I never will trust anyone who speaks to me in that manner!" She managed to throw herself back so she rolled over the table right to the other side, grabbing a discarded bottle and holding it in front of her as a baton. He had darted forward as if to scratch her eyes out, the table gave her a decent enough barrier, but for how long? She didn't have long to worry about that though-

Someone cleared their throat, and it wasn't either of them. "Now now that isn't a way to treat a girl is it." Catrina almost relieved, turned her head towards the familiar voice. Jack was leaning against the opposite wall, breezily observing the scenario playing out before him. His eyes neglected her and remained on the intruder, who was nonchalant towards him.

"And now you make an appearance, you look like hell." The man alleged, Catrina now having the attention moved away from her was less relieved that she was in the presence of two possible equals, that seemed to know each other, though Jack's body language suggested some mild hostility. "Catrina and I were just talking about-."

"-I heard." Jack interrupted, clearly not interested. "Why are you here, you don't make social calls."

"This is not another warning if that's what you think, I gave you one in the bar, I'm acting on orders." Catrina glanced from one to another, hoping the tension would diffuse swiftly...and without her. Watching Jack react to this news seemed to take forever, she couldn't tell if he was confused or angry. Since neither was paying any attention to her she shifted backwards on the balls of her feet. "I'm not finished with you yet." The man called, her limbs tensed, and for the first time Jack briefly glanced over at her, she was hardly going to beg for her freedom or safety from either of them, since they were...demons.

"Didn't know you had her trained?" The man mocked, Jack's expression was blank and very calm, she felt like shaking him from his stance, she'd rather be crept out by Jack than the other. "She ain't complicated, so this will be easier for all of us."

"I don't see why this has anything to do with you, I told you what was going to happen, I'm still working, very well." Jack finished, intent of getting rid of intruder.

The man barked, then settled. "Well that's a lie, and I'm sure what you told me will please management, plus you're quota is almost full, they want the ship, then you can start again from fresh with your new occupation...it isn't hard." Catrina was trying to keep herself from fainting with fear, her eyes were focused between them, so she could see both, but fuzzily.

"You don't have to tell me...I know the score, there's no time limit. As far as I know; I'm still doing my job, it's not up to you who my victims will be." Catrina forced herself to look at Jack, again he was neglecting her. "So just go." He enunciated every word.

The man was dissatisfied, and Catrina could tell both men were bored. "I can't go till orders have been followed; it's either gonna be me or you, and since you're so reluctant-" Catrina freaked when the man speedily leapt across the table and had her in a headlock, she squirmed, thinking he was going to snap her neck instantly, but prolonged the agony by just holding her. She was looking to Jack who was just staring at them vacantly. Catrina assumed Jack was of a lower status to the intruder, and couldn't do anything. She felt helpless, and unable to cry, just struggle. "Has that hunger eaten away at your brain, or is it easier than you thought to just... let things go." Giving Catrina a little shake, this made her omit a single dry sob. "Well...do you want me to make this quick." She wasn't sure which one he was asking, Jack or her?

Catrina had automatically grabbed the offending arm around her neck, not forcing it away, but holding it to balance her and prevent it squeezing any tighter. The man in question took this as an escape attempt and jolted her, making her hair fall into her face, so she was seething and panting through strands of her hair.

Jack broke eye contact from both of them, and sighed. "I'll do it." It seemed more like a suggestion than an affirmative command. Catrina felt the tightness around her neck slacken slightly, but not enough to let her go.

"You'll do what exactly?...kill her?"

"-Yep." Eyes locking with the man cool and calculating. "Why do you sound so surprised? I'm not being out of character." Catrina could feel the rumble of laughter through the guy next to her.

"-I suppose not, but you're stubbornness is a little out of sync, it's a little unpredictable, and annoying may I add."

Catrina managed to rasp through her hair. "His annoyance unpredictable?" She was forced forward which had her tumble to the floor, she let out a harsh groan as her knees impacted. She was on all fours struggling to recover from her fall, her head snapped up to look at the intruder. "I am not just another victim, I have a life, like all those before me, and it is you that are the wasters, you come and go as you please... devour everything like locusts, not letting it grow or flourish...not giving it the chance to repent-."

"-What are you chica, a fucking nun?" She was rewarded with a single kick to the abdomen, which knocked her to her side in a huff. Catrina hadn't failed to notice Jack had remained silent. _Figures._

"I...I would say I'm p..pretty damn close, I haven't sinned, unlike my predecessors, I would be the most wasted...for I have done nothing!" She was relieved to get it off her chest and unscrambled, though how pointless and feeble it was going to sound after she's been killed was making her a tiny bit more depressed than she already was. _She was going to die. _The man grabbed a fistful of her hair, and yanked her head back, Catrina kept her face venomous devoid of agony.

"Not a problem for us sweety, with one less like you in the world preaching; the bad eggs out there will just pile up." He kicked her again, she managed to curl up slightly before impact so she was protected...slightly.

"That's enough." She heard Jack intervene, in a very stable tone, almost as if he was implying it was his turn. "You're wasting your time, if I'm going to kill her...I'll just kill her, she ain't one of the others; she's nobodies punch bag." _But yours. _ His voice was becoming quieter, she wasn't sure if it was her hearing or his deathly tone of voice.

She didn't want to hold herself into a semi foetal position any longer than necessary, she didn't want to look too weak. So she kept on her side, a hand in front her, her head cocked up so she could survey her tormentors, Jack was still harder to see being still against the wall, why was he still over there?

"-What makes you think I'm going to rely on you to finish the job, why do you think I snuck in

in the first place."

"You could have jeopardised my whole procedure by popping in like that, imagine if the salvagers were aboard, for someone with a century's worth of experience you're not very devious ." This response made the man bark sardonically, Catrina knew Jack took his 'procedures' _whatever they were_ seriously and would have not liked to be laughed at, she strained her neck to see his reaction. He was straight lipped, and callous looking, almost like a teenager that had just been scawned.

"It's child's play Jack, no one uses victims to fix stuff anymore, it was a novel idea when it began-."

"-I make them what they are; greedy, before giving them the death penalty...you seemed to have forgotten the gold." Jack was starting to sound more diplomatic by the minute, and she was hoping it would buy her more time, she began to creep backwards.

"Wrong way sweetums." She jumped when she realised he was speaking to her without looking, and slightly more surprised to realise it was Jack that had addressed her but in a very dark voice, and after so long ignoring her. _Great. _The intruder looked over at her, this was probably the first time he had witnessed Jack address her, he swept over to her realising she was a full 4ft away from where he had left her. Grabbing her by her hair, this time she didn't hold back her yelps of anguish, dragging her not back to where she was but all the way in 2 metres in front of Jack. Through watery eyes she noticed Jack was looking at anything but her.

"Okay you've proved you have order, how were you planning on doing this?" The intruder said a matter of factly.

This time it was Jack's turn to look bemused. "What; I have to write a manifesto before you leave."

"-No, I want you to show me." Catrina's wincing stopped abruptly as she looked up at the stranger. This was worse than she could ever have imagined it, her death being some form of entertainment. Catrina didn't want to meet Jack's gaze, he had shifted uncomfortably knowing full well he hadn't intended this to happen. His hand brushed her hair, he looked conflicted, unnerving her more.

He clucked his tongue before he mustered a reply. "I don't think so, I work alone."

"Well of course, silly." The man's pitch grated both of them. "I'm not going to join in, I would if I was invited, but I don't share fuck buddies."

Catrina eyes were like saucers; that had never come to her mind, this was much worse, death by...that method. She saw Jack falter at his words.

"You thought I was going to fuck her to death." His voice was neutral and questioning. "That's what you intended to see...what are you funny or something?" Jack's pitch was on the verge of lunacy. "Why don't you get a fucking video camera, it'll last longer!" Catrina's sense of humour was completely flat in the circumstances and she felt too ill to smirk.

The intruder's facial expression was a picture, with the words 'Are you stupid?' written at the bottom. "It'd be a waste if you didn't, I mean...look at you." He gestured at Jack's dishevelled form. "You haven't fed in days...you would have done it sooner or later, except you're doing it today."

Catrina started at the same time as Jack. "Under fucking supervision." Therefore they said it in unison to their surprise, and Jack wagged a finger at her as a warning to keep quiet, she in return gave him an obedient straight lipped smile. The man observed this exchange and quizzed Jack with a dark look.

"You weren't going to do anything were you?...You were being insincere." Catrina knew they had both made an error; in a second of feeling slightly safe, it had now been stripped. His words warmed her because effectively she knew it could have been true. She peeped upwards to Jack's deadpan face which was locked with the strangers, waiting.

Jack didn't look awkward in his reply, but defiant. "No, I just don't like taking orders from you." Catrina's breath hitched in her throat.

Jack finally left the wall, and with slight empathy she could see why he had been there all that time; he was unbalanced and weak, he seemed to grow paler with every step, manoeuvring his body like a drunk. He had kept up the pretence very well when addressing, but now it was obvious he needed...sustenance, in the form of her, she swallowed sharply. He came to be toe to knee with her, and she didn't have the resolve to grace him with any eye contact. He got to his knees, well to her it seemed like he dropped out of sheer lack of energy. He grabbed her wrists in a vice grip, forcing a gasp out of her. "Jack..." She whispered guardedly. Without warning his arms encircled her in a lukewarm hug, crushing her face into his shoulder, she nearly bit him but pushed her chin out of the way for air, her lips grazing his jacket.

"That's right Jack." The stranger goaded, She grizzled at this annoying attempt to egg Jack on. _Oh God Shut up shut up!_

Apart from the chill of unadulterated fear, she felt a paranormal warmth emit from his body. Catrina's panic set in when she felt the side effects of what she believed to demon induced hormones, and she felt hazy, she was pushing against him aggressively trying to put at least an inch distance between them so she could slap him, but it was all just so feeble. Her voice quivered. "No Jack." She was beginning to droop. She groaned through gritted teeth as his mouth descended on her neck, she half expected him to bite down, but cringed as he drew his tongue up throat.

Then she felt someone come into her head, a dark whisper in her inner ear. '_This will have to be quick, hang on.'_ It was hardly comforting, neither was the surge of energy and the pulling sensation that ripped her from the earth into a spin and she was falling in a whirl of colours...then... _Thud!_


	20. Chapter 20

Catrina hit the deck at full force with a great '_ooof_'. Her hands stopped her face smacking the ground, somewhat stunned and dazed she released an unstable breath as she took in her surroundings for the first time. She was shocked, and overcome with emotion when she found she was no longer on the ship. A sense of victory came to her as she pushed herself up, she laughed as she kicked the dust and rocks on the tarmac, and eyed the fencing and lampposts. _How had this happened? Where the hell is this?_ One moment she was being sexually harassed the next she was in land, what had Jack said ...'hang on?' She wasn't even panicked by the turn of events, she was relatively alone and safe, obviously rescued.

Just when she was about to set off on her own towards civilization, movement to her left near a fence made her casually glance. Jack was marching in her direction, not necessarily in a belligerent manner, but he looked severe. "Didn't fall to far then?" She heard him call across, closing the space between them. He clasped her forearm as he passed and tugged her to follow. She was filled with disappointment, she was once again a prisoner and she deliberately dragged her feet to the annoyance of her captor. "I get the impression you're not fond of my company." Catrina pulled her arm gently away from Jack, but remained walking at his side.

"-What happened?" Though she had already figured.

"-Saved your ass, and mine. Hopefully he won't assume the worst and think I went against his wishes, but just needed privacy."

Slightly apprehensive. "That's not the reason we're here, is it?"

"Trust me I'm not going to jump you any time soon."

"I've heard you say that before. " She angled herself in front to stall him. "Where are we?" Jack sighed, moving around her, she took the hint that he wasn't going to answer her, and grumbled before reluctantly pursuing him. "So tell me about this ability of jumping from place to place in seconds."

Jack amused by her interest, quirked an eyebrow. "I can't make it a habit you understand. It takes up a lot of energy depending on distance, this was an emergency." He seemed to shut up at this point, but knew that his charge; being human, would ask more questions.

"Who was that guy?" She didn't care if it bothered him she was prying, she had the right to know everything. She smiled when he stopped to look at her dubiously.

"He's like me, we share the same employer." He couldn't believe he was going to explain. "He's more of a freelancer, because he's at the top of his game and his ran out of promotions." He worded everything carefully, he made sure of that.

Catrina though wasn't satisfied, she needed motive, conviction and reassurance that the guy wouldn't return. "What does he want with you, well us?" She hated merging him and her as 'us', she bit her tongue. "Is he your supervisor?" She could tell he didn't like her smugness.

"No, he's not in charge of me." His voice came out slightly aggressive, Catrina was to some extent pleased by this. _Finally he's agitated._ "He gets bored, he volunteers to meddle in other colleague's affairs, he hates being a 'has-been' and he's envious at how young I was when I began, he's stuck in that nearly middle-aged body of his, when I'm like this." He indicated to his form. "Young, and a legend." Catrina couldn't help but huff. _Legend._ "Believe it or not sweetheart; I am." Obviously he had picked up her trail of thought.

"Undoubtedly." She mocked. "Can't you just tell him to piss off?"

He let out a single breathy laugh. "I think I kind of did, if you were paying attention. Though he's still very influential, I don't think he just wanted to pop by to warn me, he was being serious and that...if you know him, means he wasn't just merely meddling, he was sent by someone, and I've got to find out who." Jack gestured for her to follow him. Catrina who had been listening intently was dragged out of thought by Jack returning his grasp to her forearm and guiding her along. "It's most likely management, though I don't see why they would care."

They had made it to the pavement, the pregnant pause of their conversation still remained as they moved closer towards civilization, the first bit of civilization Catrina had encountered in weeks and felt almost overwhelming. She bit her lip as they walked by a random man, it was a very forgettable moment in her old life, but she felt completely aware she could touch and talk to any of the people she encountered now, though merely out of urgency. Could she receive any help from these people if she screamed at the top of her lungs?

Jack noticed her change in demeanour and the calculating expression on her face, and with haste changed his hold on her by placing an arm around her shoulders, limiting her movement, and being uncomfortably intimate. His breath touched the hair by her ear. "If you do anything stupid I will eradicate the nearest person." Jack said. Catrina understood.

The people seemed for ever more out of her reach, as a group of pre-teens walked by completely regardless of the hostage situation. The pending doom seemed to make her more scarily eager to seek help, but she once again had to bite her tongue, she felt nervous nausea creep on her.

"So we're just stretching our legs?...Before we go back?" She looked to her right towards the main street while eyeing Jack. He seemed to have composed his face into that of a decent human being and had a crude smile. "Is that a yes?" She then grumbled hoping to coax a response from him. "You know you're really good fun when you pissed at somebody else."

"Am I now?" Catrina hadn't expected an answer to that and immediately regretted putting that thought into his head.

"So talk to me, there was me thinking you were slightly irritated." She felt the rumble in his chest, and she honestly thought he was going to scream 'shut up' in her ear. She earnestly brought him to a halt with a bit of difficulty, _trying to get a fully grown man to stop when he had you in a headlock was hard._ "Where are we going?"

He sighed heavy heartedly, _that's if he had one._ "A hotel?"

Catrina snorted initially thinking it was some sick joke, when he glanced to gauge her reaction, he just furrowed his eyebrows. "No." She said incredulously.

"I'm not sleeping on the street like some hobo."

That was a funny mental image that would surely get her through a rainy day. "It's more than you deserve."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I'm too tired to argue with you." She pulled a face, wondering if that was why he was holding her so tight, because he didn't have the energy to run after her, or maybe more bluntly he couldn't stand up without support. "Don't even think about it."

"Wow-you're so out of it, that was really slow...it crept into my head like 5 minutes ago...and now you're picking that up from me?" She was triumphant and she didn't miss his wounded look, which didn't come naturally to him. "Don't expect me to pay for these hotel rooms."

A dark chuckle escaped his blue lips, _blue?_ "Rooms?...Don't you want to share?"

She knew that was coming. "How are you paying?" She didn't know why this bothered her, it was probably the fear he was going to kill someone to get a room.

"I have money." He patted his jacket pocket. "I have a gun as well but that's pointless." Catrina eyed him, _where was he keeping this gun? I wonder if he has a mobile too? _

They awkwardly crossed a road, Jack seemed to stagger and Catrina was forced into this reckless manoeuvre. A hotel loomed in the distance, with seedy red neon lights, _not very promising._ She had earlier on felt reluctant, but when seeing the plush if not slightly downgraded lounge, and vending machine she felt relieved. Even more so when she saw a row of phone booths.


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry I take so long, college work and other fanfics distract me, please review...even if it's just a smiley face.**

* * *

Catrina threw her captor down on the bed, it was a very odd thought. _Her, assisting her kidnapper_. She looked down at him, he was a pitiful site, he returned her gaze with a frown. "Don't rape me." He drawled keeping the energy in his voice. She huffed before disappearing into the bathroom.

She fixed her hair, while using the mirror to secretly observe Jack, who made no attempt to see what she was doing, she could have been making a weapon for all he cared, but his drowsiness was overwhelming him, which would benefit her greatly.

It was a novelty to be in such a cleaner place, and no rust. Though she couldn't get use to it...she'd be out of here in a couple of hours and on her way home. Catrina took a deep breath before gracing Jack with her presence, he turned his head towards her, a dark look in his eye. She made sure her chair was more than an arm's length away, to be on the safe side. "So you might as well sleep, that's why you brought us here, right?" She said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, you would like that wouldn't you?" He awkwardly shuffled to the end of the bed, and Catrina instinctively thought he was going to swipe her, but all he did was turn on his side, so his body was fully facing her. "I can't sleep."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?"

"Piss off." He half panted, triggering a smile that dimpled her cheeks. "You need protection."

"-We both need protection." Not hesitating to point out the obvious, he was foolish to think he could hold her in one place and protect them simultaneously. "You're not fit for anything-"

"Now that's not a nice thing to say to a guy." He muttered, staring up at her through heavily lidded eyes. There was a pregnant pause which had Catrina fidget, he drew in a shallow breath, before deliberating. "I think you should sleep, right here." He patted the edge of the bed. She stared at the space he had suggested, hoping it would take her to the underworld and out of his clutches.

"Sleep is the last thing on my mind." She rubbed her temples, he observed her wariness and smirked.

"It's the last thing on your mind?...I don't think I'm fit enough to give you the first." Catrina narrowed her eyes at his attempt to make a joke out of a sick situation.

"I need to get us something to eat, there's a vending machine downstairs, do you have any change?" Her hand hovered sheepishly in his face, she tried to sound as innocent as she could allow, even when he remained silent, sucking in his lips as if contemplating.

"You'll have to wait 'till morning."

"Why?" restraining a squawk. "I could just go. " She urged.

Jack bit back a laugh. "Then why haven't you?" The suggestion lilted his face, and he looked very humoured to her displeasure, that was a good question.

The pregnant pause was a little too long, and she cringed, she hadn't given him a quick fire answer. _Did he really get under her skin that bad?_ "Oh... I will." She managed. "I was just making sure you had no magic tricks up your sleeve to drag me back into the room." She faked a little arrogance; it never came naturally to her. She caught his wounded look and awkwardly gave him a straight lipped smile, _was he seriously using his looks to keep her there?_

"If you do decide to go, I'll be forced to come with you." He pushed himself up, an action that surprised her, it made the journey to the door look slightly impossible, for he now looked more than capable to pursue her, maybe even drag her to the floor and pin her.

"Are you willing to risk hurting yourself?" She inquired keeping her voice void of frustration, if she didn't sound concerned enough for his well being he would never let her leave, if she didn't sound willing to come back.

"I'll take the risk honey."He stood to his full height, he wavered, his knees were buckling, she shocked herself at what she did next; weeks ago she would have happily witnessed him fall on his smug face, but now she was running to him, her front pressed against his, her arms tucked under his to steady him.

"Careful'" The word tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself, and Catrina sensed the tension in the muscles of his chest cavity, as if he was struggling to breathe. Was her presence affecting his inner demon. She reluctantly pulled back, face flushing. "Um, right, so...food." Coming back to reality, quickly catching his confused facial expression, which was a rarity. "So those vending machines I seen downstairs...they've gotta work, right?" She moved away from him, feeling the coolness return to her. She had to get away, she felt warm and confused with him, she almost couldn't trust herself anymore, knowing how his powers can create urges to benefit him. She recalled him saying 'he would protect her', but would he faulter if she willingly threw herself on him. It was crazy, she hated the man, she wasn't sexually attracted to people who forcibly took her from home.

* * *

Catrina's mother closed her cabin door behind her, her husband turned at the sound, and awarded her a strained smile. "Did you speak to Murphy?" She nodded and breezed forward, taking his hand.

"The question is what or who, could be doing this?" Every creak in the hallway behind her put her on edge, and she softened the tone of her voice to deter eavesdroppers "We might even have to go to shore."

Mike snapped, pulling out of her grasp. "No, no..and no! Don't you understand this is what he wants, this has...it's got to be Jack, it has to be!" Maureen shushed her husband, inching closer so he could feel her breath, to sooth his current aggressive state.

"Don't you think I might have considered that too. It's not just Jack that's against us here, it's over half of the underworld. Do you remember what I told you about Pavlov, and Robert's mother...the medium?"

Mike gave her a soulful look. "Yeah...messages from beyond the grave, yadda yadda yadda-"

"Then you'll know we have forces on our side, Catrina has a little protection." She stated, trying to convince herself as well as the man before her. "But what worries me is our crew, don't you think it's possible they don't want us to get there?" This played on her mind, it made her grow cold, her trusted friends could ruin everything, just because they were scared and wouldn't admit it. She was startled when dodge cleared his throat.

"Maybe we should call a meeting, instead of talking behind their backs?"

**r&r**


	22. Chapter 22

Maureen and her husband piled into the cabin, with severe looks on their faces. The crew met their gaze with apprehension. It had been a long and rough day since their last meeting. And the sky was pink and the sea calm from the previous storm.

Cutting to the chase. -"Our tankard of fresh water has been half drained."

The others looked at one another, though it convinced her of their innocence, her eyes trained on them longer then necessary. "Now didn't I tell us to all to be careful?"

Munder stood to attention. "You did, what are you calling us irresponsible?"

Santos gruffly added. "Well actually you said be careful with the food."

"Oh shut up."Murphy retorted eyeballing Santos with distaste. "Excuses, excuses."

"You always do this, picking fights with me, get over yourself, man!"

"-Well if you stop making smart ass remarks, then I'll stop picking fights with you."

"Yeah 'fucking' right!"

Maureen's neck hurt from tennis-ing between the two. "Guys, this doesn't solve the problem of the water shortage."

Greer looked quite perplexed by the whole situation, but remained silent, Dodge immediately jumped on this. "Haven't you got anything to say?"

Greer glared up at him. "Well I didn't know we were taking turns."Removing his cap and slamming it on the table. "How about we all just go around yelling at each other!"

Maureen raised her arms, this had to stop. "Enough!" If these men were going to have a slinging match, it would be a waste of time and energy, and their resources were running thin. "What are we going to do about this?" Trying to contain her annoyance, she looked at Dodge for guidance.

Murphy stepped in to take the reins. "Well as former Captain, can I suggest the obvious." Everyone turned to listen intently, Maureen had a bad feeling what he was going to say. "We can't go on without supplies, we can't delay it any longer, we will have to go to the coast, and fast" There was a ring of groans around the cabin. "I know, but I don't want Jack to win by having us starve to death, or dehydrate." Of course he was right, Maureen would thank him later.

* * *

'Clunk' "It's not accepting it." Catrina retrieved the coin from the vending machine, dipping to retrieve it. "I'll try again." Jack leaned rather awkwardly against the machine watching her dainty fingers shove the nickel into the slot. 'Clunk' She grumbled. _Fuck._

By habit she looked about her as if preparing to ask for change, but she became vaguely aware of the hot sticky blue eyes on her, and she smiled sheepishly at the man next to her.

"Can we go back to the room now?"

Catrina smiled, and pretended to fiddle with the machine. "Yeah of course you can, I'll meet you there." It went quiet next to her, and she ignored the temptation to ogle him, she heard him sigh aggressively.

"Aren't you coming?"

She gave him a blank look. "I'm busy." Soon as it left her lips, she was jolted sideways by Jack cruelly grabbing her wrist, he was still freakishly strong.

"Do you think I was born yesterday." He hissed dangerously close to her ear, it ruffled her hair, almost tickling her. "If I weren't s-" He stilled, Catrina confused- tried to look around to see if anything was wrong, she was startled by an invasive hand grabbing her ass. _EP!_

Her voice shook. "What are doing?" Jack looked darkly from the corner of his eye. And she had the audacity to remain perfectly still, and not pull out of his hold.

"Some guy was looking at you." He said simply, staring past her, she figured at the guy in question.

"So you decided to mark your territory!" She huffed, elbowing him out of the way to try another vending machine, soon as the hand swept off her ass, if felt surprisingly cold – she wouldn't want to admit she missed it. "I'm surprised you didn't pee on me." She added, Jack slowing creeping after her.

"If you're in to that kind of thing, I will." She returned a mortified look, hoping he was joking, he didn't smile only grimace. _Why did he have to be a damn smartass all the time?_ She wondered if he was this annoying around her parents, she snorted – _that's probably why they didn't stay in touch._

She was brought back to the present by a drawl. "I'm still here you know." Fear and embarrassment coursed through her spine.

"Oh my god, were you listening to me!" She nearly broke a nail slamming the nickel into the slot. "Ouch..Again, butt out!" She waved her hand to flush out the pain.

This time he laughed, _well at least he was not angry._ He astonished her again by seizing her hand, and bringing it to his lips in a gentle kiss, his eyes trailing on hers, until she forced them away, clearly uncomfortable by his advances – _as usual._ "So tired." He sighed, releasing her hand.

For a second she pitied him. "Because you're wasting energy watching over me."

"I kind of have to."

There it was again, that strange- stupid motive. "Why Jack? I really don't see why you have to." She pleaded. It was true, the reason she had been given, if it were true; payment...was stupid, and unbelievable. Revenge maybe, but that was also a waste of time, he could have just killed her. This revelation stilled her and she forced her focus back to the man with the sheepish grin, and crystal blue eyes. "You've kept me alive all this time."

He observed her wariness with a glassy stare. "You're right, maybe I should have some reward?" She flinched as he tried to reach for her, he finally withdrew with a mocking smile. "I'll wait though."

She felt nervous tension build up with every fibre in her body. _Was that a promise?_ Would it be so bad? She recomposed her defiant face and strutted down the hall, in steady pursuit by her capture. It played on her mind, was he waiting for her, or was he waiting for him to be capable..._hopefully she wouldn't have long to wait_. She froze, and immediately rephrased her thought trial_...because I would have got away by then. Much better._

Catrina meandered by the entrance doors, venturing on whether if she bolted now, how far she would get. She felt Jack breathe down her neck once more, and again a moment of dread recoiled her.

A hooker was lurking on the curb outside, waiting to be picked up. To Catrina's dismay she noticed Jack was staring at her, with rapt attention. _God No!_ She needed to warn her, though would she be wasting her time, hookers are probably warned all the time – clients are dangerous. She never thought she would say this. "Jack let's just go back to the room." Trying desperately to snag his attention.

His eyes were still hungrily locked on the lady of the night. "Come on let's go." She tugged at his jacket, he acknowledged her with a scowl.

"Oh really." She was puzzled to what that meant. "Behave or I will kill them." No sooner had he said this he began to inch her closer to a desk, where a man and woman were talking, they looked to be in their thirties. "Hey." He used his human voice. They looked up immediately, very quizzical. "Could you watch my little sister for me?" Catrina spotted his serene look, and shook her head disbelievingly.

"What?" He squeezed her shoulders threateningly and she hiccupped.

The woman stepped closer to the desk. "We don't normally babysit for guests." The lady caught Catrina's expression. "Is she alright?"

"No." Jack grabbed the back of Catrina's neck, forcing her to smile. The woman's companion looked at them suspiciously.

"Aren't you the drunk from earlier?"

Catrina smirked. Jack kindly informed him. "Why do you care?" The man looked offended, his girlfriend breezed by it – as if use to the verbal abuse.

"How old are you honey, you look old enough to look after yourself."

Catrina opened her mouth to answer, but Jack spoke over her. "She's 15, and she has mild learning disabilities." The teenager gapped at him. _The-son-of-a-bitch._ "A little schizophrenic, she talks rubbish a lot."

"I certainly do not!" The hand behind her neck squeezed tightly.

"She don't look 15, nor does she look disturbed."

"How the hell would you know that? You don't even know her." Jack retorted, shoving Catrina forward into the desk. "Are you going to watch her or not, she can't be left alone, there's fifty dollars in it for ya." Now that will wet their appetite. "Each."

"A hundred bucks, just to watch a girl?" They exclaimed incredulously. "Where are you going?"

"Again. Why do you care?" Catrina felt him fidget behind her, and his hand came up and slapped fifty bucks onto the desk before them.

"Hey, you said a hundred!" The guy still seemed eager to touch the money.

"You'll get the other fifty when I come back, if she is still in the same room, in one piece."

The woman did the negotiating. "How long?"

"An hour."

"That's it?"The woman looked at him like he was an angel. _Far from it._ Catrina inwardly cringed.

"Make sure she's kept to herself, no contact with anyone, and calm her down if she gets...hysterical." She had to roll her eyes at this point. The woman grabbed her like a prized possession.

"Of course." Jack halted her before she could remove Catrina completely from his grasp.

He gave her a hug, for appearances, and she went incredibly stiff. He breathed in her ear. "If anything happens I will kill them." He pulled back, his face heavily composed. "I'll be back soon." He spoke down to her as if she were a child, again all an act. Catrina glowered at him as he left her, and disappeared through the double doors into the night.


	23. Chapter 23

She had no affection for the people watching over her, just mindless obedience. They had stored her – that's right stored, in a room on the bottom floor, with a TV set and a couch, an almost seedy looking lounge area, where no one else visited, apart from her babysitters. The woman was painting her nails while watching the TV, occasionally glancing up at her. The man was seated next to her. Her temptation to tell them was unbearable, she felt her head might explode, it almost put her off her packet of potato chips. Maybe if she didn't have such a guilty conscience she could just run and never look back. Jack might not kill them if she said nothing and just ran.

She threw down her snack, bored. "Can I go to the bathroom?" _Would it be that simple?_ The guy met her girlfriend's gaze questioningly.

"Sure hun, Rick?-Show her to the bathroom." Catrina's eyes crinkled with a smile of relief, _things really were that simple._ She pushed herself up and was ushered out by the guy. His hand seemed to linger on the lower part of her back for too long before slipping down.

She lurched forward. "Hey! I'm not stupid." She stated pointing accusingly at him.

He gave her a ghost of a smile. "And neither am I, you're a bit well developed for a 15 year old." His hand hovered slightly over her breast, and she slapped it away.

"If you are smart you won't touch me, and I think it's obvious I'm not his little sister." She turned on her heel. "Now where's the bathroom?" She gestured to the corridor ahead of her, hoping for no further interrogation.

He eyed her again, she noticed this from the corner of her vision. "So how old are you then? Why does that guy want you watched?" She didn't have time for this, or the energy to go through with the worry over if she was endangering their lives by opening her trap. "Can't he trust you?"

Sometimes she wished people would just guess, she sighed. "There's nothing you can do about it." She said firmly, keeping her eyes peeled for a toilet symbol.

"Right, I'm guessing you play around a bit, I guess he's caught you in the act a few times huh?" Catrina tutted, before throwing a nasty look at the Hawaiian shirt clad man.

"That's not it at all-" She cut herself off, not wanting to be dragged into anything with this man, she didn't want to confess to anything.

"It ain't nothing to be ashamed of, I play around, you play around." He caught up with her, and halted her to indicate to a door on her left. She nodded in return and moved towards it, she huffed when he halted her again. _Damn she was getting sick of this._ "I bet there are a few things I could do with that mouth of yours." He grinned, and she elbowed him in the ribs, he doubled over and she slammed the door behind her. "I'll be out here if you change your mind!"She heard him groan.

Now she was just nauseas, not because of the offer, but her sudden willingness to let the creep die. _How wicked_. The window was beckoning her, she could leave...if Jack returned, and they said she just ran off with no explanation- it would be just her own and Jack's problem, surely he would spare them?

Unless he chose never to come back at all, it could have been a speedy way to be rid of her. Maybe she was well and truly free?

Finally deciding, she wrenched open the window and began her escape. She awkwardly fell from the pane and ambled to her feet, her eyes were sharp, wary of the darkness that was looming. She was in an alleyway between dumpsters, the street light landed on her person in strips, and she squinted from the glare. She knew the most important thing was to put some distance from her keepers, and overall the town, away from Jack.

She took to the street at a steady jog, eyeing her surroundings, looking out for navy jackets or green shirts. Her heart was in her throat from excitement, panic and determination. Despite her enthusiasm, her limbs weighed her down; she didn't have energy to the full capacity, since she hadn't eaten a proper meal in days. There were street walkers watching her scurry past, she ignored them. Fleeting moments of remorse flattened by her eagerness to find a phone, preferably a free one. A ride would help, but there is no way she would get a free ride hitchhiking in this town, she would probably be expected to perform oral sex.

Catrina cut across a grass verge and through some bushes in order to cross a parking lot. She didn't like being in the open, for obvious reasons, and even if it made her safer being in public, it didn't prevent the harm of the witnesses. She spied a couple eating take-out in a car and her stomach grumbled. _No, she wouldn't ask._

There was a mall coming off the park lot, and she headed straight to it, she gathered it shut late. The lights were overwhelming inside and made her eyes water, she lowered her head as she went by unsuspecting members of public. A few odd glances later; she spotted a phone booth.

She awkwardly stilled, waiting for some teenagers to walk by, before rushing to it. Self-consciously she got there, and a shakily picked up the receiver, so relieved she was to have something so mundane in her hand which would bring her closer to home.

Catrina called a reverse charge number at a moment's pause, a voice prompted her to enter the number she wished to call, as well as record her name. "Catrina Dodge." She murmured. She shuddered as it dialled out, when it began to ring; her breath was uncontrollable, it racked her whole body, she felt a nervous happiness consume her over the ring tones. But after about a minute, she nervously coughed, the tone was giving her a headache, this suggested no one had answered, and no one was in, she waited, then the tone stopped completely and she hung up, extremely disappointed.

Why weren't her parents at home? She could only assume they were out looking for her. She bit her thumb nail and self consciously looked at various shoppers. Maybe if she called the police, Jack wouldn't be able to kill the entire force. She turned on her heel and dialled 911, when she connected to the police, she automatically burst into a speech. "Hello this is Catrina Dodge, I think my family may have reported me missing, I was kidnapped-"

"Hang on, sweetie...Catrina...Dodge." She sensed the officer was writing everything down. There was a pause that seemed to go on forever until- "Okay...well... your name hasn't popped up on the register, you were kidnapped you say? Are you away from your kidnapper?"

"Yes." She said with conviction.

"Where are you now, honey?" The female officer's concern soothed her.

"I'm in the mall."

"What mall is that?"

Catrina blinked, she cursed her hesitance, she didn't know where she was, and she had stupidly intended to send the entire force to rescue her. "..I don't know." She said weakly. "Can't you trace the call?"

"I certainly can, give me a few minutes." Catrina sighed and leaned against the wall, she smirked as she watched some youths throwing fries into each other's mouth in a nearby food court. They were so carefree, like how she once was with her friends. She smiled sadly, and held the phone closer to her ear.

Her eyes panned across the various shops, she noticed the exits were all clear apart from a couple of janitors. She suddenly went cold, she jerked back further into the booth area, nearly dropping the phone. Jack had just waltzed through one of the entrances, his demeanour cool and casual, if not slightly calculating. He looked fresh faced, and agile...not a good sign, someone had died to make him like that. She watched his movements, frozen with fear. The man hadn't seen her, and didn't appear to be looking for her...good sign.

Jack had seemed to have mislaid his jacket, or more accurately it was damaged and had to be disposed of. He breezed by some shoppers, and indulged in some window shopping. It was an unusual sight if anything, she was almost gleeful to be spying on him doing something vaguely human. Her body kicked in and she automatically lurched behind of a wide pillar, stretching the phone cable to its limit as she countered his pace, complimenting it with her shifting behind the pillar, keeping out of his line of sight.

She pressed the phone to her ear like it was a life line as her body held firm in his blind spot. 'Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!' Her breath hitched, Jack had changed direction and was heading towards her area. Shit. "I've got to go, he's here." Before she could hear a reply, she dropped the phone, so it hung uselessly off the receiver, but allowed the operator to still trace the call. Catrina crept around the pillar as Jack loomed, and there she made a dash across the floor, through a family of shoppers and under some escalators. He was oblivious of her, credit to her stealth. She removed her top layer of clothing and stashed it in a bin. Now her outer colour she gave off was different to how he would remember.

From her point of view, she could see his pasty complexion had a bit of a rosy tint, and his aristocratic features were blank, but she could tell he was heavily engrossed by the manikins. She was a little surprised how he was ignoring everyone, there wasn't a look of distaste when someone got considerably close, even when a rowdy load of kids ambled past, he barely bristled.

A family walked past her hiding place, and she immediately took her chance; she casually walked along side them, keeping her head down. From the corner of her eye Jack shifted from his position at the window and into the shop. A tremendous weight lifted off her chest, and she broke into a run to the exit.


	24. Chapter 24

**Inform me of any spelling mistakes, sorry for the delay...I have a couple more stories going on at the same time and I haven't been at home.**

* * *

"Land a hoy!" Munder jeered. "I'm getting me some sloppy joe's!" He hopped down from the roof of the helm while Greer told him to take it easy.

Maureen heard the commotion and came out to investigate. It was a depressing sight, seeing mountains looming in the distance. She smiled affectionately when she felt an arm encircle her. "Don't worry it won't take long." Murphy soothed. She simply nodded.

"We best keep our eyes peeled."

* * *

Catrina stood behind a parked car, trying to look inconspicuous. Some cars on the main road would slow down and she would eye them suspiciously, the sooner the police came the better. Plus she was getting cold.

She couldn't properly bask in her new escape attempt when she knew she could be in immediate danger at any second. Even if she did have an armed escort, someone was bound to get hurt, unlikely Jack.

When she caught a glimpse and red and blue light, she stepped out into the open, and a police wagon pulled up as she flagged them down. She was still jittery from the adrenaline and probably looked like some junkie. "Are you alright ma'am, you got a problem?" They were out the car in a heartbeat.

She hesitated, eyeing around her. "I called the station earlier, I wanted to be picked up...I was kidnapped. Can you help me?"

The Cop pressed a hand to her back. "Sure, get in." He guided her in, shielding her head as she made to sit in the back. "Is he still around?" He leant on the door.

"I don't know, I only just got away."

"I understand, I'll take you to the station and you can file a report." Her smile was genuine, and as the down was slammed shut and they were pulling away, her nerves dissipated and was replaced with unrelinquished excitement. She was going home.

* * *

The docks were rife with sailors..._well duh_. Civilization was a privilege, other people- just seeing new faces was a relief and took the abnormality out of their current task. But knowing these people could hold them back, or easily disillusion by how safe they think they are made them all cringe. Maureen and the others were once one of them. _Never bothered by their mortality._

They dispersed when they reached the bars and the supermarkets, eager to begin shopping. Maureen and her husband walked down the promenade hand in hand.

* * *

Getting out of the squad car was a luxury in itself, the seating was plush and the company was professionally escorting her to the official building, this brought her closer to normality...if that's what you would call it?

The woman behind the desk observed her sceptically as she gave her details, it occurred to her it was probably a regular thing, young girl runaways gone wrong making a report. It seemed to click when the woman took in her attire, she figured she looked stable and secure and was telling the truth.

The aftershock from the turn of events caught up with her as she took in the room she had been placed in. The rape suite. Undoubtedly used to console victims and prepare them to make a rape kit. Catrina shivered. She was relieved she wouldn't have to go through that ordeal, yes, compared to some scum on the planet, Jack had been fairly chivalrous. It nearly made her laugh, but instead she found herself close to tears, she couldn't have imaged weeks ago how her life would suddenly change forever, this would be with her for the rest f her life...and one daunting aspect – she would be running for the rest of her life. Jack was still out there somewhere.

Catrina heard a voice outside, it was echoing around the hallway, making it impossible to distinguish one word from the next. They was pacing up and down with restless fervour, it made her anxious. She was tempted to devour her nails. A woman finally entered, obviously to make an account and to counsel her.

"Hello err-"She glanced at her itinerary."Catrina Dodge?"

She merely nodded while fiddling with her sleeves.

"Right, my name is Karen Spencer, now my dear we can go through this slowly...as long as it takes, or we could have a brief session." The woman finished before looking moderately severe. "Now, we have tried contacting your next of kin but we don't seem to be getting through to anybody."

Catrina cleared her throat. "Well I suppose they're out looking for me."

"Yes I suppose that's it." Karen smiled shortly before breezing on. "Now I know this is hard for you but, could you explain everything you can remember?"

For a fleeting second she felt guilty she didn't feel uncomfortable about delivering her story of woes, but listening to herself explaining what transpired was laughable and unbelievable, she would have to spring clean it make it seem more human and less... supernatural. "I had just come back from a job interview, I went into my home and..." Her pause for thought was mistaken for upset and anxiety and Karen delicately soothed her. "I thought I heard my mother moving around in the house, but it wasn't...that's when I was grabbed."

The woman hummed as she took it down. "What else?..Did he restrain you?"

Catrina blinked. "Erm he...chloroformed me?" It was the easiest thing to say. "I went out like a light."

Further scribbling in front of her made her clear her throat, more anxiety wracked over her, she wondered if this really was an assessment. She sighed with apprehension before ploughing on with the tricky bit. "I woke up on a ship tied up in a cabin, I had been blind folded."

"-I suppose so you're not able to identify your attacker. But I'm curious - how did you know where you were if you were blindfolded?" She asked sceptically.

Catrina grimaced. "Well it wasn't on all the time, anyhow anyone would tell by the swaying, but I eventually saw my captor."

Karen's pen hovered over her notes in a thoughtful manner. "Oh yes...and what did he look like?"

Catrina wet her lips, perhaps she was imagining it but the woman sounded less than satisfied."Well he had short cropped brown hair, intense blue eyes, a defined jaw line." Okay now she was describing a model. "He kind of has a natural pout when he relaxes his face."

"-Height?"

"I never really took any notice, but when I was standing up he was about a foot or more taller than me...if that helps?"

Karen merely nodded absently, focus remained on her pad as she further queried. "So you believed you were on a ship?"

"No, I know I was on a ship, I saw the ocean all the way around, there was swaying."

"-Perhaps you were hallucinating, you had been heavily sedated."

Catrina didn't mean to snap. "No Ms Spencer he only sedated me once... to get me to the ship, I was there weeks, unless I was tripping for a month, I was definitely on an abandoned ship!" Her grumble helped soothe her, she wasn't going to resort to violence.

"An abandoned ship? I'm sorry I find it difficult to believe a wreck wouldn't have been picked up by the authorities or a coast guard, not to mention flybys, but there's no doubt you are a mystery. You're not a runaway, you claimed to have been kidnapped and you haven't been reported missing." The tension was dispelled when Karen sucked in a breath. "Do you come from a broken home Ms Dodge, how is the relationship with your parents?"

Catrina gave a smile full of mirth. "Are you kidding me?..I have a healthy relationship with my family, I don't know why they haven't reported me, I assume they don't trust the law, unreliable sometimes Ms Spencer." The name rolled of her tongue like an insult. "I think you should be more concerned with the psychopath who abducted me."

Ms Spencer stared her out, hoping to read her, surely Catrina is a text book case – but the girl was so natural – but the story a little odd. "Why did he abduct you, ransom, and more importantly why did he let you go?"

"He didn't." Catrina began on bated breath. "I got away, he left me with some seedy hotel owners and that's when I took off. The abduction I believe was..." She hadn't a clue, it was still something she hadn't covered with Jack, should she mention she was informed it was out of revenge, or some form of payment – Anything will put her parents into trouble. "...I think he was lonely." She finally got out, wincing at how sympathetic she sounded, the professional frowned.

"Well most classic cases are." Karen's face softened, deliberating on Catrina's mental state after her sudden bout of empathy. "A month is a long time away from home, especially in the company of a mysterious stranger, you may grow close-"

It was Catrina's turn to frown as Ms Spencer continued. "-You may even feel protected, or special because you feel he has singled you out for mystical purposes, you hate turns to sympathy...then you start to blame yourse-"

Catrina shook her head seeing where this was all going. "I'm not attached, I'm not suffering from Stockholm syndrome as you adequately put it. It's the only reason I can think of why he abducted me." Locking eyes with the woman she could see fleeting moments of doubt and instantly knew what was going to be asked next.

"Did he make you do anything?" She brought up rather persuasively but in a professional manner – never stalling or showing discomfort. "Did he touch you in appropriately?..Which I'm assumed he-"

Catrina cut her off with a grimace, now she was increasingly aware of where she was, and what this type of woman was after. She wanted the dirt, something to parade with in court, something to counsel her over, or to pass her on to a therapist...or shrink. "Sometimes..." She hesitated.

"Take your time."

Catrina, once she started she wanted to finish. "He would touch me, but not there. He would restrain me a lot, sometimes lie next to me on a bed, there was an occasion when he forced me onto his lap-"

"Did he penetrate you?" Karen interrupted rather lewdly.

Catrina swallowed uncomfortably, she couldn't believe thousands of girls like her could go through something so thorough and degrading – the interview she meant, not just the ordeal. Her eyes prickled with tears – she didn't know why, why did she have to be upset? "He did not, he never did."

"Are you sure, you might not have realised...you could have been while you were sedated?"

Damn, this woman wouldn't give up would she? But she had a point, anything could have happened before she woke up on that ship. She just shook her head. "No, I would know if I was ( ), I'm not sexually active. There were times when he could have, but didn't." She said groggily not sure if she was going to throw up or burst into tears.

"Did he make you do stuff to him?"

Catrina nearly grabbed her pad but instead settled on- "Okay can we stop now please." She said brazenly.

The woman stalled in her writing and sat bolt upright. "It's alright we can stop my dear...it's just while it's still fresh."

"-I think you're getting fresh."

"Catrina I am only here to help, to document your ordeal...I don't do this for kicks."

Catrina returned a honest look to her, keeping her hostility under wraps, she smiled weakly before continuing on with this weird topic. "No, nothing" She needed to bring up other horrible things to paint a more severe picture of the man. "He did dislocate my arm, but he fixed it. There were others brought to the boat, but he killed them before I had a chance to communicate with them."

Ms Spencer gave her a concerned once over before jotting everything down. "So he is a killer, why do you think he killed them, who were they?"

Catrina blinked. "Well I don't know, I assume to keep him company but he changed his mind." It was getting ridiculous steering from the truth – should she even attempt the demon explanation? That would indeed be futile. "He moved us off the boat when someone visited and became hostile."

"I see. My we have a lot down here." She sighed glancing down at her notes. "I think we will take a break..."

Catrian reached for her hand, and Ms Spencer acknowledged her warmly. "You do believe me don't you?" She had to believe it, if it was stripped of the ludicrous truths – what would make her doubt her?

"Of course Ms Dodge, I take everything seriously, get some rest, I will send someone down to assess you in half an hour, have you had a rape kit?"

Catrina went white. "No. I thought I didn't have to since-"

"It's alright, you don't have to." She soothed. "We might need your clothes for DNA analysis, I'm afraid we need to check you over for any signs of sexual activity, it's regulations, it doesn't always require...penetration." She finished rather stiffly and Catrina withdrew her hand like she had been burned. She was left alone but she could tell she was being monitored by CCTV cameras positioned in the corner of the room.


	25. Chapter 25

**This chapter was complicated to write. Inform me of any grammatical errors. and r&r.**

* * *

Catrina should enjoy the luxury of a closed door, it couldn't have been any simpler. But her over active and dangerously anxious imagination had her bring the door ajar – just so she could watch what was going on -on the other side of it. She wanted to see new people, and hear their voices...they were of the living, something she had taken for granted. For a month she had been listening to voices of the dead.

She rocked back on her chair to see further down the hall, she could just make out Ms Spencer drinking coffee while analysing her notes, a man was talking to her in a casual manner – she wasn't quite sure if it was about her, she assumed the worse when Spencer passed him the notes and he glanced up and caught Catrina's eye. She didn't like it, and instantly wanted to kick the door shut. They were passing judgement on her...not the culprit...her!

A young woman came in, by the looks of it a med student fresh out of school, she smiled on entry, and closed the door, breaking the man and the woman from her line of sight, she blinked. "Did you hear me?"

"Err...sorry." She tipped head.

"Just put your clothes in the bag and I will give you this." The girl beamed. "These fetching pink scrubs." Catrina could tell she was trying to cheer her up, she returned a weak smile.

"Very nice, thanks..."

"Lisa." She chimed.

"Thanks Lisa." She bobbed her head and began to de-robe behind a screen, Lisa appeared next to her almost sensing she was ready by the rustle of a brown bag. "There you go."

"Okay now I need to take a swab, just so we can make sure we don't get your DNA mixed with...err-"

"I understand perfectly." She opened her mouth, she had watched _CSI_, so she knew how it was done, the cotton bud was rolled around her mouth and then placed in a sealed container. "Done?"

"Sorry honey I'll need to do the internal examination, we could go into another room if it makes you feel more comfortable?..I think it's best."

"Does it have to be done, I know I haven't been interfered with."

Lisa shrugged uncomfortably. "It's regulations, and it's my job...I don't dare ask them to give you a break...it's my first week." She grimaced holding her kit to her chest. "Perhaps-"

A man barged in, the same man who had been conferring with the 'shrink', he stalled in the doorway. "Sorry am I interrupting?"

Lisa grumbled. "Yes, learn to knock...this is a private area and I'm in the middle of a-"

"You won't mind if I snag your patient for a minute will you?" He asked nonchalantly, leaning on the door, Catrina could tell Lisa wasn't amused in the slightest. "Thank you, come on." He gestured, Catrina didn't look like she had much of a choice and she followed him into the next room.

When seating herself down, she awkwardly twiddled with her thumbs on the table top as he closed the door, fleetingly seeing cops and Ms Spencer waltzing by in the hall outside.

When the man turned to lean against an opposing wall he appeared to brief himself using a notepad before meeting her gaze sharply. "Catrina."

"Yes, I think I've been through this." She stated keeping patient. "Are you...a fed?"

The man smiled. "You're good, and I'm flattered I look the part, people normally consider me not so...due to my looks."

Catrina smiled stiffly, not sure if this was the beginning to sound like a good cop/ bad cop scenario. "Okay...do you have anything important to say?"

He pushed off the wall, an action which could have startled her if she hadn't have been already on edge. "You were very tricky to find, for a moment I thought I found you, fleeting glimpses...then you were gone, and now you're here, with me."

Catrina was stifled, her mouth went dry and she cocked her head. "What do you mean by that?"

"I was looking for you. Duh." He smiled wolfishly.

"I thought I hadn't been reported missing?" She began sceptically.

"That's right...you weren't." He looked up to the heavens. "Let's keep it that way." Fixing her firmly with a sly smile.

Catrina's seat rumbled as she jumped up backing into wall behind her, eyes like saucers. "You what?" She exclaimed in shock, hoping she had misheard, or misinterpreted, maybe he'll think she's having a panic attack if her suspicions were wrong. "What do you mean?"

The man folded his arms. "Relax honey...everything is okay, you're safe with me."

She shifted closer to the door. "Safe? And who is me...who am I exactly here with?" She felt physically ill, _call for help._ "Jack?"

When he stood up she assumed he was confirming it, but his smile wavered into a grimace. "God no, foolish girl, do you really think Jack would pull off something _this_ sophisticated." He yanked his lapels smugly, giving her a death wink. "You know you're more trouble than you're worth, so...should I bite?"

Her breath hitched and she bolted to the door, but they were faster, they jammed their foot against it and she found herself being dragged backwards towards the table. Her hand came up and she sunk her nails deep into their scalp and dragged, she knew she had drawn blood when they yelped and briefly released her, giving her time to yank open the door and flee towards oncoming policemen. "That man attacked me!" She began, she looked back to see the man staggering up with a bloody face.

"She's hostile, restrain her!" _Oh shit, she didn't see that coming_. They seized her and were about to take her to a cell when Ms Spencer finally emerged from the office after hearing the hullabaloo.

"Careful she is very delicate, she is a victim of a kidnapping, unhand her this minute!"

The police turned to her still clutching the still fighting girl. "No can do ma'am, she attacked the chief over there."

Ms Spencer eyed the smartly dressed man closing the distance. "It's true...perhaps we should move her to a more secure facility?"

Catrina squawked in her cuffs. "That man attacked me, don't you have cameras for Christ's sake!"

The woman looked to the cops for confirmation. "Yeah we do, what should we do chief?" Looking towards the bloody man.

The woman looked incredulous. "Don't ask him, he's the accused!"

The police paused, before one of them deliberated. "I'll check the camera." He started down the hall but was crudely stopped by a forceful whack from the bloodied chief, the others stared shock stricken.

"What are you doing?" Ms Spencer began. "You are out of order!"

"Oh shut up you stupid bitch, I am order!" He pulled out a gun and aimed it at the unarmed woman. Catrina flinched and dived for cover before she heard the bang, and then a second bang. She shrieked when the woman fell into her line of vision, Catrina choked back a sob as she staggered back on her feet and elbows away from the seeping blood, before she was roughly brought to her feet by the mad man. "Right after that little inconvenience-" He stalled when he spied a police officer not too far away, frozen to the spot.

Catrina shrieked with all her breath. "Run you fool!" It was too late, another bang reached her ears, deafening her due to the close range.

"It's like shooting ducks." He chuckled, she growled and gave him a solid right hook which jarred him and she took the opportunity to race down the hall. The scrubs didn't offer her bust much support and she grumbled as she turned down another hall, some officers had their guns drawn as if they had heard to commotion.

"Freeze!"

Catrina raised her hands and slowed down. "I'm not armed...a chief is killing his people down there!" She began futilely.

"Get down on the ground!"

"I'm not a prisoner, I am a victim brought in earlier!" Still seeing hesitant guns on her – "I'm wearing scrubs for heaven's sake!"

"It's okay men." That voice came from around the corner, armed and at her back. "I've got her, she gunned down a couple of my men." Catrina stared horrified and immediately protested.

"No – he's lying, he gunned down the men...I've never fired a fire arm in my life!" She tried, trying to shift closer to the real officers. "You can check my hands, no gun residue." _Thank you CSI_.

The cops looked confused and still very dangerous, and the man prodding against her back lost his patience. "Oh fuck it!" He fired over her shoulder at all men and women officers as she screwed up her face and covered her ears. "Damn CSI!" He added. Catrina had pure adrenaline in her system as she ran at a stoop towards the door, even when a sharp hot pain ripped through her arm she still kept on going.

The place seemed like a labyrinth, what looked like a decent exit had become a door to another corridor, the gun shots had died down behind her and she was sure the guy was hot on her tail. Catrina was sick to the stomach with villains, and right now she felt she had to puke with terror, this was worse than running from Jack. She yelped when she knocked down somebody who had just calmly left a nearby room, she saw it was the med student from earlier on. "What the hell is going on?"

"Get up, Get up now!" She dragged the girl to her feet, the girl had started to peer down the hall. "No- not that way!" She nearly ripped the girl's arm out of her socket as she forced her into a run, which she luckily followed suit.

"Catrina, what the fuck's going-?"

"-Lisa, where are the emergency exits?" She demanded.

"I don't know, I'm not familiar with the – I don't think they have any!" The panic on Catrina was seemingly rubbing off on her companion. "You've been shot!" She announced reaching for her arm concerned.

"Who care's doc?" She wrenched her arm away and gestured for a promising exit, pushing Lisa with her into what appeared to be a stairway. "Come on!" They clattered down the stairway, Lisa in the lead.

"What's going on up there?" The med student asked breathless.

"A shoot out, that fed that came in started it all...where were you?"

Lisa was trying to clip her hair back up so it wasn't in her face with difficulty. "I'm sorry I was smoking in the lounge!"

"Right, great!" She scoffed. "Well it saved your life!" She added tersely. _That's right smoking had saved her life. Ironically._

"Are you sure you're not having a psychotic episode from captivity?" Lisa nearly came to a halt on the stairs and Catrina bumped into her.

"No, there are people lying dead upstairs, it's a bloodbath – let's go!" They heard the sound of a door opening and slamming shut a few floors above them, they quickly share a terrified look before rushing down the steps in unison. A bang followed in their wake which ricocheted. Lisa yelped and stumbled forwards into Catrina who caught her. "Go on ahead, I'll slow them down!" She said trying to shove her away.

"Never." Catrina swiftly brought the student's arm around her shoulder and jostled her down the remaining stairs, more ricocheting bullets later- the girls squeaked as they tumbled onto the final floor. They recovered and ambled through another set of doors into yet another corridor.

They tore down it, Catrina shrieked when 'the shrink' Ms Spencer moved into her line of vision, very fine – very alive. "Oh my god girls are you alright?" Catrina skidded and pushed herself in front of Lisa to halt her.

"Why are you stopping?" Lisa exclaimed clutching at her patient's arm. "He's on top of us!" Looking behind her.

Catrina couldn't focus on anything else but the woman with the bullet wound through her head. "That woman is dead." Catrina whispered. "What are you, wait are you...?" Ms Spencer raised her own gun. "Shit."

"Duck."

Lisa was a lot faster than Catrina and ended up hurtling herself on top of her as a human shield. There was mighty bang and a thud, and Catrina hardly flinched – _wow must be used to it!_ She stumbled to her feet- helping to support Lisa who seemed to have received an adrenaline rush; for she looked less panicked. She looked down the hall with her companion to see the mad man sprawled on the floor – lifeless. Then in unison with Lisa turned her gaze sceptically towards their saviour.

Ms Spencer was positively beaming, her gun still poised, before focusing her attention on the girls. "Catrina... thank god you're alright." She said breezily.

She blinked, since the woman hadn't mentioned Lisa - it dawned on her who it was and she rolled her eyes. "Oh... my... god." She murmured dejectedly. "It's you isn't it?"

"Would that make you feel more comfortable?" Ms Spencer waved the gun in a comical gesture which unnerved Catrina because she thought it might go off. She assumed the reason Lisa hadn't moved because she thought Ms Spencer was just being Ms Spencer..._which it wasn't_. "Oh- whose your friend?" After a little wave, Lisa and Catrina scowled right back.

"Oh quit it will you!..Spare my friend and I will go willingly with you." She made to step forward but Lisa clung to her worriedly.

"What are you doing?"

"That's not Ms Spencer, and I'm saving your life." She replied from the corner of her mouth.

The older woman quirked her eyebrow. "Wow - didn't think you would make it this easy, I agree to your terms – now get over here!" Catrina began to shuffle forward, but Lisa stepped forward and angled herself in front of her.

"No!- I don't know what you are doing, but you can't take her away...she is sick, she has had a trauma. She belongs with me." She said bravely moving a little closer.

Catrina shook her head. "I'm trying to protect you!"

"-And I'm trying to protect you, you're my patient." Lisa announced.

The woman in front rolled her eyes. "Yes this is very touching." She unexpectedly raised her gun. _BANG!_ Catrina remained very still, she didn't even blink as the blood spattered on her, it was only when the body hit the floor she choked out a sob – her teeth clenched and she stared venomously at the monster.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She charged and grappled as much as she could to knock him down, surely in a woman's body he would be weaker, but 'it' stood firm, grumbling at each futile blow.

"She would have got in the way." 'It' reassured.

"FUCK YOU...JUST FUCK YOU, I HOPE YOU SPEND ETERNITY ALONE!" It appeared to have cut deeply, and Catrina found herself bodily shoved against the wall, knocking all the wind out of her.

"Are you really worth it? I could have just left you for him!" She spat, pressing the gun brutally hard under Catrina's jaw so that tears prickled her eyes. "Now we must go before the thing down the hall recovers."

She gave a firm –"No." And she flinched when 'he' loomed closer.

There was a sudden defiant shout from nearby which drew both their attention. "HEY!" Catrina was both horrified and shocked as the med student; Lisa aimed a brutal blow with a fire extinguisher at 'Ms Spencer's' head, there was a sickening crack and she went flying backwards onto floor in a pathetic heap. Catrina still had her hands up in defense as she looked at her new friend astonished – who looked a little pissed – and very much alive.

"How are yo-?"

"-Alive? – Well...I'm... already dead." Lisa formulated cockily, she held up the fire extinguisher. "My favourite weapon – saved your mother with one of these." She pursed her lips thoughtfully at Catrina's weird expression, seeing the clockwork clicking in her brain. Ms Spencer on the floor stirred and the fire extinguisher was unceremoniously dropped on her head, her skull completely broke and brain matter seemed to spill out. "Though she is right you know, that guy down the hall will recover, come on let's go." Catrina felt her hand being seized and was dragged all the way out of the building, through the commotion, through surviving policemen and flashing lights.

She was very silent, even when she was bundled into a car and 'Lisa' shoved 'herself' in next to her - Tears ran down her face as she was overcome with grief and something else she couldn't identify. She had met so many people she thought were trying to help her, fakes, and so many times she had nearly died, she had guns ringing and blood spurting around in her head, she felt herself being consumed by violent shakes, it was only a matter of time before she would puke, and it wasn't through car sickness.

After a minute of driving in silence. "Jack." She croaked.

Lisa turned to her while steering. "And I thought you had forgotten." Lisa's smile was a little crooked, she was amazed why she hadn't seen it before. Catrina noticed the rain on the windows, then she felt the touch of a callous hand brushing away a tear and Catrina barely acknowledged the act, she didn't even acknowledge Lisa shape-shifting back into Jack. "I haven't forgotten unfortunately, and I'm still mad at you." He added.


	26. Chapter 26

AN; It seems Emily Browning (Catrina/Katie) have a singing career according to suckerpunch...have you heard her sing – amazing!

* * *

Munder and Greer were entertaining themselves riding a shopping trolley, they whizzed past a more mature Murphy who was analyzing product labels. Having a family, he had been forced for the sake of his wife to check salt content. He scrutinized that can of soup a few seconds more before he heard some disgruntled cries from down the aisle, he looked up and saw Munder and Greer swerving trying to miss a stack of cans. "Hey!" Murphy snapped, drawing a few customers attention, Munder rode next to him, the trolley already full, and the elder plonked a single can on top of their pile. "Less whiskey more of these."

Not long had he said this Greer returned with some more appropriate items including a teen magazine, it looked very out-of-place among their survival kit.

Munder soon jumped on it. "You're married, and I still think you're a fag."

Greer drew his attention to the item in his hand as if suddenly realizing. "Habit. My daughter's always asking for one, suppose we could get it anyway...for Catrina." Greer struggled, fidgeting with it in his mitts.

"Ain't Catrina like 18? She won't be interested in teen magazines, they're normally for 16s and under." Munder was very receptive, despite being a clown. "18 year olds go for the real magazines, fashion and make-up."

Murphy blinked. "That's if she into that kind of thing...she could be a tom boy?" Realizing he didn't know much about the girl in question, despite the dozens of letters. "I think Epps and Dodge are in charge of what their daughter needs." He shrugged it off, returning the magazine to a random shelf.

"That's if she's still alive."

Everyone shot a wary look at Munder, and he sheepishly moved on with the trolley. "I'll go look for Santos."

* * *

Jack and Catrina were in some abandoned shack near the harbour. They were perched on an overturned boat, both willing the other to speak first and spoil the silence. They had been driving for about an hour before they dumped their car precariously close to a cliff edge. In the moments leading up to parking the car, Jack had recklessly put his foot down on the peddle and charged through a fence and bombarded up a hill towards the cliff as if they were going to recreate the climax of Thelma and Louise, but a single shriek from Catrina brought the perilous trek to an end. It seemed to her a ploy to gauge a reaction out of her, and she scowled at her driver, who didn't relent.

She shifted on the rough surface, drawing the eye of her dedicated stalker. She winced yanking a shard of wood from her thigh. "Nice Place." She murmured.

"Yes well, I didn't really think far ahead...didn't expect you to run away... didn't expect the station to be riddled with demons." He tossed a net he had been toying with to the other side of the shack.

She scratched her arm, allowing the resulting sound to sooth her."Why are you keeping me?" She finally breathed. "You are gaining nothing, sure you're irritating my parents to no end, but that could be something I do every day, so really you're like a stubborn teenager." She said a matter of factly.

"Probably should have took you when you were young...I could have brought you up as my own, I didn't, I can't take care of kids, and what the fuck would they turn out like if I was their father."

"Extremely fucked up." Catrina added not looking up, and she heard Jack snort.

She blanched as Jack jumped up, he approached a window. The limited light gave the room jagged shadows, and the deafening silence gave her impression that supernaturally they weren't alone. "There's nothing out here, we're safe for now."

"Well that's a relief."She was prompted by Jack's pacing and gathered herself. "What was the plan, to keep me for the rest of my life until my parents die? Or drop me off in their old age, because surely other kidnap victims families move on...they may keep looking, or assume I'm dead, but you at the end you will have nothing."

Jack had propped himself against the window and was taking out a cigarette. "I won't have nothing." Catrina raised a brow at this. His lips sealed around the tip and he lit it before taking a drag. "I would have their anguish, and most importantly, I would have you." Catrina wasn't sure if he had intended to frighten her with that but it came out so sentimental, she shuddered with a feeling she couldn't quite identify.

It seemed a waste of time doing everything to just hurt someone, and she briefly wondered if he was doing it all because he was lonely. Jack seemed to shuffle uncomfortably by the window and mumble something inaudible, he might have been listening to her thoughts. And yet he didn't deny it?

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?" She said simply, and she had the audacity to analyse under an innocent gaze, she smirked when he suddenly looked defensive.

"Oh I know what I'm doing, you think by making me doubt myself is going to lower my defences...then you're wrong." He said with so much conviction she couldn't hold anymore glee, she sat up straighter allowing him to look over her darkly.

"Doubt yourself, why would you say a thing like that?..That's unless you are beginning to doubt yours-"

"-Oh shut the fuck up." He drawled. "I don't need some snotty nose kid telling me how I feel."

She gapped. "You still see me as a child, and this is how you would treat children, you have done some dodgy stuff with me...you're right, you would be a terrible father." She concluded tersely, a silence followed, took up with Jack puffing on his cigarrette and blowing smoke into the air.

Her head fell into her hands defeated, everything was dragging on, though a lot faster than it was in her normal life. When she lived at home she was comfortable, but at the back of her mind she felt she was a burden, average grades, couldn't get a job, a dull boyfriend, and party-centric mates. Now she was out of the house, being missing didn't require to have a job or have a boyfriend, no parties. That was an alarming thought – she could get used to this. She jumped as the man pushed away from the window and made his way towards her. She traced his movements until the boat creaked as he sat down beside her.

"You cut yourself." His hand hesitantly rose to her hairline under her swept back fringe, she automatically jolted at the contact of his cool fingers tips against her warm forehead.

She snapped. "Ouch!" She nearly jarred her neck avoiding a further sting. She was about to touch herself but Jack stopped her, easing her hands down with his callous ones. "What are you doing?" She said almost meekly, staring straight ahead of her. His hand flattened against her head almost as if he was monitoring her temperature.

"You know I've been shot as well." Jack immediately zoned in on her arm, his face inches from the wound, he pressed his finger into it, and Catrina cursed him. "I'll sort it out myself." She jibbed slipping away.

"I'm sure you can, it's just a harmless flesh wound." Not sounding at all sympathetic.

"Easy for you to say, you're completely unscathed."

"Wrong. You've damaged my trust in you, I gave you a little freedom and you squandered it." He bit, the glow from the cigarette the only indication he was still in the shack as he avoided all sources of natural light.

"I took a chance, what any right minded person would do in the circumstances." She pleaded her case. "I wasn't to know your friends were out there hunting for me. I seem to attract trouble."

He laughed, a genuine laugh. "Yeah, true, but you know why?..Your parents, they made a deal with the devil to set things in motion, and I'm sticking to a plan while maintaining my job...which seems to have comeback and bit me in the ass!" He exclaimed, which was followed by a very long smoky drag. "I was the fucking best. I was goood"

"Are you sure that's tobacco you're smoking?" She scoffed, prompting Jack to discard his stick with a humoured huff. During the suspended silence that followed, his hand hovered over her wound again, as if toying with the idea of pressing his thumb into it and drawing a cry from her. She quickly repositioned himself to avoid any more pain to be inflicted upon her. Her bloodstained scrubs were very unflattering, and she wanted to change so badly. "Did you have to take my clothes?" She grumbled scrutinizing herself. "Was it you all along?" Thinking back to the med student.

Jack did a double take. "Oh, so that's with the get up...this Lisa give it to you." He stiffly smiled. "Nice...very pink."

Catrina screwed her face up."So you weren't in the room when I undressed, you didn't offer me an internal examination...?" It was an understatement she was more than relieved.

"Wow got there a little late, didn't I?" He mumbled, and Catrina would have slapped him, he fortunately continued. "No I wasn't there then, you ran into me in the hall remember..."

"You were smoking in the lounge of course." She chimed. "I suppose she's dead then?" She queried with a bitter edge to her voice.

"No, she's lying unconscious in the lounge, I was actually smoking with her, I was drawn to the room by the sweet smell of tobacco and I got chatting with her, then we heard the gun shots and just before she could investigate I knocked her out and borrowed her form...the rest you can fill in."

Catrina didn't know if she could believe he had let Lisa off that lightly, he would have probably played with her innards while she writhed around in agony.

"Enough!" Jack announced over loudly to the empty space in front of him, and Catrina was clueless. "Do you want me to live up to those expectations?" It was a very strange question, probably hypothetical..."Just stop thinking, you're doing it very loudly lately, you have a constant inner monologue running through your head, you use to be a complete mystery...very silent, and only occasionally I would tune into Catrina Radio, now I can hear you...judging me."

Catrina was speechless, she gapped. "You're offended, it really does bother you what other people think-"

"Oh no, don't you do that, trying to embarrass me."

Catrina smirked. "Look at you, being all...human, you're masculinity is being challenged." She began to laugh, and the man frowned, making her laugh harder.

"It's not going to work, you should be embarrassed-"Catrina began to quieten, wondering what he meant, he continued tersely. "You talking about your ordinary meaningless life, lonely...yet you have friends who seem a lot more active than you, and a boyfriend, who is dull. Sob stories of a heroin."

She blinked. "I'm no heroin, and I've had to carry on...it's a good job I have, despite the pending doom, I had a right to be on edge and drive people away, I chose to be lonely."

"And yet you moan."

"I don't moan, I just get bored." She announced defensively, and Jack had the audacity to pat her back patronizingly. "You dragged me into this, you dragged my family into this." She shrugged him off, but immediately felt a pang in her arm from the unsterile wound and winced. "Oh ow I think the bullet is still in there."

"Let me see." Jack coaxed her into allowing him to extensively prod and exam her. "This is what I've wanted to do before it gets inflamed." Catrina didn't have a chance to ask, he pushed his finger deep into the flesh, Catrina nearly shredded her lip biting down, he seemed to know what he was doing – hurting her. Jack's expression was of solid concentration, it distracted her from the searing pain and the tickle of warm blood rolling down her arm. It was like he was touching the bone, she felt something click and she had to look, against her better judgement; the flesh on her arm was puckering at the back and was completely stained red, his finger couldn't be seen, just as she thought she could see the tip poking out, something small and metallic dropped and bounced off the boat. It was unmistakably the bullet, more pain followed as he retracted his finger, the blood was pouring out of her like a slowly running tap and she could literally feel it draining out of her face. She was conscious of the noise she was making, a cross between a hum and a groan.

Catrina noticed his foot seemed to toy with the bullet on the floor, testing it's sturdiness by rolling it beneath his shoe, in her dazed like state from the blood loss she started to roll back on the overturned boat, she didn't go very far with Jack's hand suddenly appearing on her thigh holding her down. She huffed as her descent was interrupted and he dragged her by her dodgy arm back into a sitting position. She smiled drunkardly up at him. "Maybe you could use your voodoo and seal the wound." It would be useful, despite her anxiousness of seeing him perform any voodoo tricks.

It take didn't take much effort to inch her closer, she positively sagged into him. He shifted her hair so he could whisper in her ear. "I'm afraid I can't knit flesh and bone together."

"But you can bring people back?" She murmured downwards, her head pressed into the crook of his neck. "Are you punishing me?"

"Oh Cat, did you not try and call home?" Jack rasped against her hypersensitive shell. "I detected your presence around a phone you had recently used...how's mom and dad?"

The gentleness of it had her on edge and she clumsily shoved him back to take him in. "Please tell me you haven't done something to my mom and dad." She gulped as he caressed the fingers she had pressed into his chest.

"I think they have enough to worry about, don't you think? Besides I really don't want to travel that far...not even to watch them weep." He said rather maliciously, she didn't have the energy to swipe at him, and he could read it off her, he simply chuckled at her state. "Look at you, being all human." He echoed back to her mockingly, she grimaced as her injury panged but still steadily held his gaze.

"Shut up."

"Does being human offend you?" He grinned, working his hand up her arm and inching back into his original position. "Never be ashamed of what you are." He added with so much resent she wondered if he ever remembered being one of her. "The answer's no." He retorted to her telepathic question.

Catrina dipped her head so their heads wouldn't collide as he jostled forward. "I bet you do..." It was like they were both drunk teenagers on the verge of laughing at each other. Catrina felt the words on the tip of her tongue, it was snide and she didn't even know if it would gauge a reaction. "Paddy O'Reilly."

His sneer fell, and he became stilted with the strange revelation and old memories. Catrina no longer wanted to feel so vulnerable and positioned the way she was, she wanted to die when his face contorted and his hand flew up to seize a fistful of her hair. She had him bearing down on top of her with sickening hissing and growls of fury. "DON'T YOU FUCKING SAY THAT TO ME!" She thought her scalp was being peeled away from her cranium. "WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT...WHERE DID YOU FUCKING HEAR THAT?"

She was using his shirt to lift herself up to ease the tension off her scalp, and to avoid the spit. "I didn't hear it...I saw, I could only imagine the term being applied to you." She began, not fearing for her life but for the demon to get back in its box. "It's been used hasn't it...while you were growing up...you can remember can't you?" Heavy breathing was all she could hear and she didn't want to take in the sight of his anger. "What happened to not being ashamed of who you are?" She tried, the hand that was on her arm moved to her throat, and she gasped, her hand shooting to the pressure point.

"I am not ashamed, because I am not one of them, never was...I was American, my mother on the other hand-"

"Was Irish, shouldn't you stick up for it?" Catrina rasped. "Or did you try and get beaten down, is that what made you like this?" She felt herself on the verge of blacking out, her legs had already gone numb and her mouth dry.

Jack jerked her face closer to his, but was no longer able to feel his hot breath. "You shouldn't go sneaking around poking into other people's business." He released and she crumpled to the floor gasping and coughing trying to draw a breath through her bruised windpipe. Catrina had hoped he would just walk away and leave her there, storm out like he usually did – run away from his problems. "Oh – you would like that wouldn't you?" He said voice thick with venom.

A shiver consumed her, not believing what she was about to say. "No actually, I would like to die...so finish me!" She clawed at the dirt before stumbling to her feet. "Do what you do best."

The atmosphere was hostile, she didn't know how the shack's foundation could stand it. Blue eyes pierced the dark, they were so cold it burned. "No I'm afraid you going to live a very long time."


	27. Chapter 27

Did this one a bit too quick for my eyes, inform me of grammatical errors. And enjoy!

* * *

Murphy, Greer and Munder exited the supermarket loaded with shopping bags, they stopped at a curb during rush hour and struggled to creep across the road. They managed to leg it while receiving a load of annoyed honks.

Maureen and her husband were basking in the sunlight, free of salt air and chapped lips. "We should head back, we've been dawdling."

"Hardly, we don't have to be on a schedule." He tried inching closer to his wife on the grass. "She's not going to get any more missing for 5 more minutes."

Maureen turned to him incredulously. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that, you speak as if she's at school or cooking the dinner at home, she isn't home." She said in a harsh tone that made her husband flinch, some passersby had stalled and Maureen grew sheepish. "Come on let's go."

When they had reached some fencing they spotted the other's with some shopping. Dodge took note of their more exotic purchases. "Caribbean Rum? Seriously?"

"We're not monks!" Munder jeered bustling past. Munder always looked too pleased with himself, hardly a man on a death mission. "We have the essentials, and we have some luxuries." He called after already ambling towards the harbour.

Maureen had shared a pleasant exchange with Murphy before she grew curious about the missing member of the crew. "Where's Santos?"

"No idea, I assumed he was calling his family or shopping with you."

Maureen glanced around the surrounding pavements, no sign of the Latino gent. "He better be quick." Murphy silently agreed, when she spotted a distant bar on the main road, she had a hunch. "I'll be back in a bit."

* * *

The sound of children squawking distantly arouse her from her slumber, she didn't remember going to sleep especially underneath a boat, she placed her hand on the wood to test it was liftable. She could still hear the children in hysterics and Catrina with a great fete of strength nudged the boat off of her and leapt up, charging through the door, her first thought was_ how_ he trying to kill them.

When she was outside surveying the cliff edges and various huts, she thought for a moment she had been dreaming, she heard the screams again and Catrina bolted towards the drop, she stopped at the last second to see a group of small children flying a kite and chasing one another harmlessly. She sighed, she had the right to have a morbid imagination. It wasn't long before she heard heavy footfalls behind her and someone tall shimmied to her side. "Going to jump?"

She was brazen as she left him on his own to return to the hut. She had a memory lapse on what time it was and day, and she unceremoniously draped herself over an overturned boat and murmured sleepily to drown out Jack's entrance. She sensed he was close, and she didn't acknowledge him, not even when he toyed with a makeshift bandage that had miraculously appeared on her upper arm. "You just rest there for a sec and keep quiet." He uttered breezily, moving over her tired body to reach for something on the wall. She heard a clunk and was driven to look up. She saw him lifting an oar and she had to duck so he could manoeuvre over her and drop it to the floor.

"Oh no." She mumbled into her arm dazedly. "I thought we were settling."

"Ha, no...we shouldn't have really stopped here, they could have caught up."

"So they do have adequate tracking skills?"

"If they're as good as me, then yes."

Catrina equalled his dubious look. "Right, so I have a bounty on my head." She went to the window to check they weren't being surrounded. "I thought last night you said we were safe?"

"That was last night, I haven't a clue where they are now, so get your things together." He had picked up the oars and had chucked them outside.

"So we're rowing to the ship, a little inconspicuous don't you think?" She unfolded her arms and picked up one end of the boat she had slept under. "Weren't we miles off the coast?"

Jack watched her struggle with the boat before obligingly assisting her. "It'll take a few hours, we won't have to go all the way...just until I can sense the ship."

They had made the way to gradual slope that took them to the shore."So you can beam us back?" Catrina insinuated.

"I need to reserve what I got, you ain't gonna give me any." He chimed, he could see she was wincing under the strain of the weight and the injury on her arm was compromising her. He gestured for her to stop and release, and he took the full weight over his head.

"Show off." She retorted under her breath before ambling to his side. He turned the boat at a bit of an angle in order for it to clip the back of her head in retaliation. "Ouch!"

When they were on the beach Catrina had to direct the children away, she didn't want them getting too close to the hostile entity that was 'Jack Ferriman'. She almost forgot how to go about talking to them, she wasn't used to socializing, it had been awhile, especially to children. Jack ploughed on ahead having no wish to get involved, his footprints were deep and severe like he was aggressively plodding, showing his distaste. The children watched them all the way to the water edge.

"Shouldn't we get food for the journey?...I haven't eaten." She suggested as he adamantly climbed into the boat.

"I'm not going grocery shopping." He drawled. "Get in."

She huffed and hopped onto the seat, allowing herself to adjust – after all she would be on it for god knows how long? "You row, I'll sing a sea chantey."

"Please don't." He jibbed, placing the oar in the provided hooks. "We'll take it in turns, I may take my shirt off."

"Please don't." She echoed with equal enthusiasm. "If I can't sing, you can't take your shirt off." She felt the water pick up the boat and send them adrift, it was mostly oar power that got them past the tide.

Catrina consciously gripped onto the sides, she was wary of the water below getting darker, meaning it was getting deeper, when the sky and sea began to hog the horizon she grew agoraphobic, she felt the need to lie down at the bottom of the boat till the sky went away. Jack noticed she was gradually stooping. "What's the matter...sea sick?"

"It's the open space around me and this tiny little boat." She positioned herself on the floor, Jack exclaimed a profanity when she rocked the boat.

"...Are you kidding me?" Jack was forced to reposition his legs when she tucked her legs beneath his seat. "You're pathetic." She rolled onto her side to avoid looking at him. "If you're going to sleep don't let me stop you."

Catrina chortled. "Have fun." She acknowledged him with a brief smile before closing her eyes.

Even when she had got off to sleep and her face had gone relaxed, Jack could still see that smile, it was if it had been burned into his memory, he wasn't sure why. He rarely saw modest pleasant smiles directed at him, and he found he was rowing with a hint of merriment.

* * *

Maureen had reached the bar and found Santos seated towards the back in a secluded area of the bar "Hey Santos...what you doing?"

He looked up surprised. "Oh just getting a drink, you want one?" He had already drew the attention of the bar man before Maureen could reply. "Another one of these please, thanks."

"Santos, we've got to get going." She said perching on a bar stool.

"No rush baby, I only came for a couple."

"If you want to stick around in the bar...we could leave without you."

"Nah...don't be like that, like you haven't come to land for a little comfort?"Santos took a heavy swig and Maureen frown.

"What do you mean by that, if you mean comfort as in food, they're necessities!" Becoming dismayed at Santos ignorance. "Maybe you should stay here." She got up to leave but Santos seized her sleeve.

"Epps wait wait wait, what have I done?...You act like I've committed a mortal sin coming for a drink, calm down lady, I'm coming!" He finished his own and Maureen's and stood up to amble out with the distraught mother of the group, he felt he was being dragged out by the ear. "Which way...this way?" He said pointing disorientated in the wrong direction. Maureen grappled for his hand and guided him down the pavement, he burst out laughing. "I'm coming mother, jeez!"

Maureen frog marched the hyper Latino down the main street, she rushed by some curious shoppers who noticed their speed. She spied a set of traffic lights to get across the dangerous road and bodily dragged her accomplice, she merely glanced at a man coming out of a nearby drugstore reading a newspaper – her eyes fleetingly caught sight of a headline. '_1 MISSING GIRL, 1 ROGUE COP, 6 DEAD DURING BIZARRE SHOWDOWN_'. Maureen didn't think, she just stalled and snatched the paper of the distracted man, he cursed as she took off with Santos across the road.

"Maureen what's got into you?" Santos skidded to a halt with the woman and she breaked in an alleyway. She ignored him and flipped to the front page. It was an article about a shootout at a police station hundreds of miles away, what had her attention was a blurred image from a CCTV camera capturing a girl being interviewed. She scrutinized the picture desperately, was the girl her girl? She scanned the article, which was interrupted by more CCTV shots. A girl running, a man pursuing, the man opening fire at police, then the last was of two girls running down a hall.

"Epps what?" Santos called again.

Maureen was dazed as she raised her head. "It's Catrina, I know it's Catrina." She pushed the image into Santos bewildered face. "Look!"


	28. Chapter 28

Catrina murmured in her sleep, she dreamt of hamburgers and milkshakes, food that seemed so foreign to her now, though any food was welcome, she would have anything that could be chewed even if she couldn't digest it probably she would be thankful of the nourishment. She made a thrashing movement and clipped her head on the boat seat, this brought her crashing down back to the present. She blinked up at the overpowering sun, when the glare had dissipated, she finally zoned in on Jack rowing, he hadn't been lying when he said he was going to take his shirt off. There he was in all his glory; toned, a little pale with some curly chest hair. She could see every muscle he was using, tensing and relaxing, he looked very human – strong but still fragile, a shark would still manage to tear him to shreds.

"How long do we have?" She kicked one of her legs up to stretch it. Jack huffed before giving a resigning sigh.

"An hour, so it's your turn to row." He clattered his oars down and reached out to assist her up, she obligingly took hold of the hands and was up in an instant. The creak of the boat when she took up the oars was unsettling, as if it didn't like its new driver. "Put your back into it, straighten your legs." He said frugally. He had a bad memory; she had injuries that rendered her inflexible. "You've never done a hard days graft in your life have you? Too spoiled." He jibed, giving her leg a little jab. _Why is he trying to gauge an argument from her? _As if he enjoyed hearing her whinge.

"Put a shirt on!" Catrina exclaimed after finally getting a rhythm going on the oars, he had become content watching her to-and- throwing all the while remaining topless, it was like the beginning a soft-core porn film. "It's not a pretty sight."

"Ha- Oh really?..Sorry to disappoint you, I'm not one of your preppy college boys with gym membership."

She shook her head, clucking her tongue. "I don't think college boys can afford Gym membership, and wanting an education doesn't make them preppy – nor are they mine." You couldn't actually convince someone who didn't have a clue of the real world, Jack had chosen not to be a part of it...criticise all he liked, but presuming all men her age came out of the same mould incensed her. "Some men would love to go to college, they chose work over education...some steal because they have nothing better to do."

"Where has this conversation brought us?" Jack ridiculed. "I thought you would defend the human race." He tipped his head to scrutinise her, something he did all the time, she assumed to get a picture of the average female in the human race, unfortunately for her she came out of a mould that is often used over and over again – this wasn't symbolism for being damaged, she wasn't damaged, she was pretty normal and boring and had the worries of any social-phobic girl. Good.

"You say human race, I'm not going to justify my species to you – cause' even simple humans like I are capable of some horrible atrocities...like you." She beamed and rowed faster to display an impressive agility, it probably wouldn't last long she hadn't eaten since forever.

* * *

Maureen and her husband had pinned up that picture, the others swarmed around it.

"My God." Murphy said, his disbelief at finding their prize printed, proof 'she' was still alive or had been kept alive longer than he had expected.

Maureen's tears had still not dried. "She was at a police station – during a shootout, dear god she must have been so scared." She nuzzled into the arm of the man next her who trembled with relief.

"Does this mean she's in land now? I mean she's safer than expected, right?" He deliberated pouring over the article.

"But she's missing...and with another girl by the looks of it." Maureen was flailing over the newspaper as you would in the circumstances. "As long as she's not alone...I'm okay, not with Jack that's a bonus."

They all agreed, one major factor eliminated.

"Isn't it a little disconcerting that she happens to show up in the middle of a shootout ?" Santos chimed, he spoke sense – knowing how unlucky they were it seemed most likely Catrina to be involved. "I'm thinking maybe she could have been the cause, for all we know she could have been corrupted-"

"Don't even suggest Catrina would turn rogue!" Her father defended. "According to the article a cop turned rogue while she was in the interview room and started shooting everybody, she only got out after the assistance of this woman." Dodge assumed his wife would back him up but she was distracted by the other page of the article.

"The woman was a spitting image of a member of the forensics team who was found unconscious in the building."

Dodge frowned. "Why would they mention something as tedious as that?"

Everyone looked at Maureen expecting a decent explanation. "I don't know...they found it odd people identified the woman on the CCTV as this nurse and it turned out the nurse in question was incapacitated..."

Santos nodded. "So it's a case of mistaken Identity."

"-Or the woman was in two places at once." Munder scoffed. "So we got two nurses who look-" He scrutinised the picture before faltering. "Identical...err...hot twins?"

"A detail they would not miss." It was Maureen's turn to scoff.

Murphy calmed down the argumentative atmosphere. "So what do you speculate?"

Maureen didn't want to admit it, soon as she had came across that area of the text she had so many doubts, particularly her ease in Catrina's safety had been knocked. "I really hate to say...but...Demons can imitate people." She forced. She had stifled them. "Oh I don't know, they won't let us off the hook for anything, they'll keep trying to take what's ours...bleed the world dry if they have to, but can't they just let me have my-" Her voice cracked with emotion, Dodge was at hand to take the reins.

"She's right, Catrina's probably got a member of the underworld tailing her."

"You mean the hot nurse could be a demon?" Munder retorted senselessly. "Well that's just great."

Maureen pulled herself together, rubbing her nose. "We could have had demons following us all along...we have never really been out of shark infested water in a matter of speaking, demons can walk anywhere?"

Greer stepped in. "Not in church, if they can't go to church on Sundays that's where I'd be, Catrina should follow suit if she really has got away." Before sheepishly adding. "That's if she was taken in the first place, she could be just on the run. Hell Jack could have just been bluffing!" Santos jumped on this band wagon.

"Couldn't have put it better myself!"

Greer had kept his cool despite the outburst. "So what are we going to do...stick around and see if she pops up...or continue on our voyage?"

* * *

Catrina had come to a grinding halt on the oars, they actually clattered out of her hand in her exhaustion. "Oh heck..."She mumbled, sluggishly clawing for them. Jack appeared to have dozed off, or was trying to get a tan and was ignoring her. "We're losing light." She stated over the sound of slopping water as she gained control of the oars. She gave a resigned sigh when he had failed to answer. "Right, who cares?"

"Just keep rowing." He drawled ending her anticipation, though his eyes remained closed.

"How do you know we are going in the right direction, we have no navigation."

"I have the gift of navigation, so shut up and row."

She huffed, he had the chivalry of an ape. How he had the power to seduce anybody was beyond her, to her dissatisfaction he peeped at her through one eye, she could almost detect he was about to do something in his defence, she pretended not to notice and paddled faster.

"Tell me when." He said simply, and it left her thinking for sometime before finally sucking it up and prying.

"What do you mean?" She asked tersely, her stroke becoming stronger and more tiresome. Jack didn't want to comment on how erotic he found it.

He countered her pointed look by pushing himself up onto the seat, giving him some height. "Tell me when you want me to take up that challenge." He said it without a smile which made it a lot more creepy than it was.

Catrina didn't want something else to worry about, she already knew her days were numbered. "I'd consider that more of a threat...don't quit your day job." She hesitated her movements when she noticed Jack had actually zoned in on her chest. "Oh my god...you son of a bitch."

Jack looked up, giving her more evidence of where his eye line had settled. "What?" He said rather cluelessly. _And she thought he could read minds!_

She pulled the oars into the boat in protest. "I ain't rowing no more." _He better not deny it._

"What's a matter with you woman? What on earth have I done now?" Jack exclaimed still holding onto the pretence of being innocence.

Catrina screwed her face up. "You're an ape, demanding, stupid, clueless...and have the wooing skills of an ape, that's what's wrong." She shivered against her will, and Jack continued to stare at her incredulously

"What the actual fuck?" He seemed very good at maintaining his innocence. "Is it your time of the month or something?"

Catrina gaped, _typical man to bring that up._ "Just take over with the rowing, it'll do you some good – relieve some of that tension." She kicked the handles at him, and he grudgingly took hold of them shaking his head in defeat.

"You're mad, though most women are."

"They'd have to be to go off with you." Catrina retorted with an air of confidence, he stalled mid paddle, and she honestly thought he was going to slap her across the face before he mockingly managed-

"You are having trouble thinking straight, obviously I've had my shirt off too long." He then redressed himself covering his broad shoulders.


	29. Chapter 29

**Let me know if there are any errors.**

* * *

Catrina felt a severe rock of the boat, and she opened her eyes. All the journey consisted of was rowing and sleeping, rowing and sleeping. What energy she had left was only enough to lift her head. The ship loomed above her and she sat bolt upright surprised, regretting it immediately since her reserves had depleted and she nearly fell head over tit into the dark waters. But a quick hand shot out to steady her, the same hand that had steadied her so many times. She blinked up at him sleepily. "Ah so we're here are we?" She shrugged him off. "About time, I'm cold and hungry."

"Well you'll just have to wrap up and sleep I'm afraid." His thumb ended up on her chin, and she wondered why he was scrutinising her face. "You're looking a bit peaky."

She huffed. "I've lost two stone...I've had no nourishment, I'm bound to be a little peaky." She batted his hand away and stumbled over to a rope ladder, she gave it one look and knew immediately she wouldn't make it. She sheepishly turned, gathering herself. "Erm, a little help?"

Catrina could sense his willingness, which was why she had to watch out. Jack positioned himself next to her, grappling for her wrist, they both looked up to where they were going. It wasn't like last time when she hadn't been expecting it, this time it wasn't a nasty falling sensation more like a fast journey through a vortex before hitting the deck. "Ow, well that was better." She announced before getting up.

She noticed Jack rush ahead to look inside the main reception area, probably checking for visitors. She meandered in a few minutes later, being away meant she had a clearer head, so coming back she could notice the stench- of death. "Jack, are we safe?"

He appeared in the doorway to the corridor, looking very calm but just a little withdrawn. "Um...Yeah I would say so." He scratched his head, the action looking very human, it irked her.

"I'm going to sleep, and I'll expect food when I wake up." She trudged by him and back to her rooms. Looking back at it she realized it was a complete dump- she had adapted to the world, now she was back in prison. Jack sighed behind her making her jump. "Knock." She said simply, withdrawing from him to lie on her bed, she hoped it didn't appear as an invitation, she was too tired to fight him off.

"They could come back, and I just need to check on a few things- management, I have no idea what they'll do when I show my face there." He really did sound low, like the weight of the world was on him. She didn't like this human side very much, _she felt less protected_- _if that made any sense?_ She rolled onto her side away from him, succumbing to sleep.

* * *

Maureen was at a front desk, she had been waiting for about 5 minutes to get seen to, and to keep herself occupied she had been watching people clearing away debris in the hallways. A stout woman approached her. "Can I help you ma'am?"

"Err yes, I was wondering if I could speak to someone in charge?"

"Do you have something to report, cause as you can see we are bit busy after the fiasco-have you seen the papers?"

Maureen nodded assertively. "Yeah, that's what I want to talk about, the identity of the girl in the paper."She retrieved her own copy and spun it in the direction of the desk cop.

"That's confidential information, we don't divulge anything about the case."She said as politely as possible, but it still irritated the hell out of her.

"Well you go into great detail in the paper, apart from the names –" She could see the officer was losing interest. "Look...I know this girl, I can identify her, I think she's my daughter, Catrina Dodge." The woman stilled, she gave her a calm stare before without hesitation picking up a nearby phone. Maureen for a moment thought she had been dismissed until-

"Hello, yes – we have a woman claiming to be Catrina Dodge's mother at the front desk..." Maureen released a nervous breath, so it was true – though she was far from relieved. "Yes she's still here, okay." She placed the phone into the crook of her neck, a gesture meaning she was going to address her. "Please wait we're sending someone down." She looked about her, all she saw was blood spattered couches, it made her queasy.

"How long?" Maureen drawled.

"Well... they're here." The cop said rather awkwardly, realizing she was still clutching the now useless phone, Maureen turned and saw two very serious looking men in suits.

"Let me guess; the MIB?" She joshed as they closed in. The men didn't crack a smile and Maureen immediately sobered, _right, Catrina...serious trouble_.

"Ma'am do you have any proof of identity." The tallest man managed, Maureen didn't give them satisfaction of looking offended -she immediately whipped out her driver's licence. "Seems to be in order."

"Now what can you tell me?" Maureen shot at them. "Or is there too much paper work for you to assist me?"

The men in black looked at one another, before they chose their answers carefully. "It's about you helping us Miss Dodge..."

"-We're the FBI."

She sneered. "Mrs Dodge." She emphasised. "Can I see some ID?" She shot back, and they grudgingly obliged. After inspecting their pristine badges -"Is my daughter in serious trouble?" She managed cutting straight to the point.

"That's what we've been asking ourselves, you see the reason she was here was to report her own abduction, the next she was being thoroughly interrogated- according to a member of staff she was put down as a suspect for some suspicious activity going on in this state. Tell me Mrs Dodge; do you know if your daughter was part of any cults?"

Maureen blinked. "Absolutely not, she wouldn't – she not one of those type of girls that goes looking for trouble, she's laid back. That's until she was taken."

"So you can confirm she did go missing." The man looked at his colleague incredulously. "So how come it's taken you this long to report it?"

Maureen went cold, if any suspicion was put on her she could be held back from looking for her daughter. "I wasn't sure if she was in immediate peril." She tried, still having their gaze burn into her.

"You said she was a laid back girl, is it usual for her to take off for this length of time without calling you?"

Now this was tittering on the edge of a cliff of problems. _She should have made a report sooner._ "I've been doing my own investigation, I didn't want a lot of fuss...didn't want my daughter to feel she was in a lot of trouble." She withheld from gulping in front of them.

The tall man straightened. "I see, well your delay could have put your daughter in even more serious danger." They lectured.

"Well let's not focus on my so called _bad parenting_ – what exactly do you think went on here?"

They cleared their throats, her expectations were automatically heightened. "There appears to be a trend, people disappearing in a certain area without a trace, the people have a history of criminal activity- your daughter doesn't fit this pattern- so we believe Catrina was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it's odd how she shows up in the middle of this very mysterious and tragic incident."

Maureen couldn't agree more. "So would you say this is supernatural?" Her query had stifled them, their reluctance to answer said it all.

They were uneasy about the territory they were in. "Supernatural Mrs Dodge, do you think we're into wiji boards and aliens." They tried abysmally to laugh it off. "Ma'am you have watched too much TV."

Maureen grumbled. "No they are a lot more professional on TV, they don't laugh in the face of victims of terror." Oh yes, this had straightened them out, they once again went very calm and composed- plus a little guilty, _to Mrs Dodge's satisfaction_.

* * *

Jack hadn't seen the gates of hell for a decade, he had never been down to call on his associates since he was quite well behaved in their eyes, and he never needed guidance.

What humans expect or perceive the gates of hell to look like is far from the truth- there are no iron gates being licked with fire, no pit of despair. No, more like a battleship grey office building, the lower levels where the souls come in is bleak with a sense of bad expectations- you feel you would be put to work there for all of eternity, in some cases you do. The really evil souls are sent to higher levels where the rooms are more metallic and modified to make your stay more irritating- such as people from your past you didn't get on with supervising you and hitting you for no reason. There's a calendar and clock on the wall that never changes, so when souls look up to see how long they've got left they are severely disappointed. Jack had the misfortunate of starting off this way, but for him the clock ticked away and when it reached zero, someone would come in a look up your sorry case to see if you should be kept on, sent to the pit- which he figured had fire, or to be promoted. This was good. If you were bad enough, and had a history you could be smuggled past the reapers and employed by the devil to return to earth and condemn others to hell. Luxury usually followed- and it did, he spent his first day out killing and buying some new clothes, then he was integrated within the demon community to be trained.

He walked past some souls using type writers that ran out of ink every minute. The room dissolved as he reached a door, and he felt the prickling heat of hell. "Mr O'Reilly." He turned.

"Number two...shouldn't you be cooking some flesh around about now?"

The disfigured 'person' laughed showing a set of crocodile teeth. "Your supervisor said you were coming...I have come for your flesh."

Jack pulled a stern face. "Perhaps another time, I have no wish to speak to him, he already saw me earlier." He tried to shrug of his uneasiness and barge past the non-entity, with no prevail.

"You lie, your supervisor came by weeks ago to warn you- now he's pissed." The thing sneered.

"Yes well things take time, did he have to send up some recruits to meddle with things."

"If you hadn't have faltered you wouldn't be in this mess." _It_ jibed guiding him towards a dark hole, which wasn't as bad as it looked- it was a standard corridor. They stepped into it and instantly arrived elsewhere. Another derelict place where moans of despair could be heard. "Apparently something beyond our control is on your case..."

Jack blazed. "Who else apart from management would send down someone to take out a whole army of policemen just to get to my charge."

The thing huffed. "Charge...Is that what you call her?" Jack had little patience with arguing what she was to him. "You know the way." The thing vanished, leaving him to take the heat alone. An ominously glow appeared in the distance, opening up a new place. The smell of sulpha was over powering as he crossed the threshold.

"Jack."

"Barilus, the middle man...still here, no promotion then?" Jack saw the man pull his lips back from his teeth in a vile sneer.

"I am at the top of my game, I can't expect more- that's unless I want to jump into Lucifer's shoes." He crossed the room to make himself level with his guest. "You have a problem with your new responsibilities."

Jack shifted from foot to foot. "No, I never asked to be promoted – and these new powers limit me- they weaken me faster and refuelling is an inconvenience."

Barilus tutted. "You know people normally say thank you when they get given bonuses."

"Bullshit." He said without thinking of the consequences. "Tell me who is responsible for the change, and for the problems – those people after me."

Barilus looked reluctant- guilt maybe. "Unfortunately some of your fellow colleagues took it upon themselves to pay you a visit." The soul collector was staring right through him and Barilus grew sheepish. "Yes, we sent someone down to the police station, though he wasn't alone- some unidentified beings invaded the area...they did a lot of damage, and in public, our folks are never that sloppy."

Jack frowned, 'unidentified beings'. "How can management not know who started that carnage- you normally seek them out and employ them, can I be reassured they won't come back?"

The two of them had moved closer to a fire place, Barilus had poured himself some scotch. "I can't control envious colleagues hoping to steal someone else's 'charge' in order to promote themselves. Nor can I control people out of my jurist diction, those unidentifiables." The man didn't look too pleased over how little power he had over the predicament. Jack was far from happy either.

"Well since you're useless to my plight I'd better get back to Catrina." He was about to leave without permission and Barilus nearly threw the glass towards the door.

"Get back to issue in question!" He snapped. "She has caused this trouble."

"It's funny how you're threatened by a meek human, she has hardly done much damage – blame her mother!"

The demon barked. "Oh yes, Maureen the undefeatable – that's what they're calling her."

"You're kidding." Jack rolled his eyes. "I won."

"Sure you did, I mean Maureen has paid the price...you have her daughter – though you haven't really done anything, accept provide her with free board and lodgings."

"I don't believe I asked for your advice on how to take care of prisoners, I bet you would put them out of their misery and kill them on the spot, me; I milk the misery." His finger jabbed into the demons ribs, cold and calculating. "Instruct the people you can to stay more than 200 yards from the ship, or I will kill them." Now was the perfect time to leave, so the threat would be freshly hanging in the air.

"Why must we fight?..I freed you from despair-"

"-No you didn't, that was my supervisor...fat lot of good he is doing me now!" He marched out into the black hole and he was shifted to the bleak office room, he had lost his cool- he had an unusual pant in his breathing. He made to leave to be ambushed by a load of previous collectors. "What now?"

"So it's true, you did crawl back." A woman drawled.

He huffed. "You make it seem I was destitute, or on the run- I came here to clean up a little mess."

A very old fashioned looking gent had reached for his shoulder. "How's that gone by the way? Promoted and yet you are still on that same godforsaken ship...turn it in before someone else does it for you." Jack shrugged off the unwelcome hand.

"I don't see why that's any of your business, are you seeking a promotion? I thought you were on top of things."

The gent smirked. "A damn sight better than you, you are refusing to 'get-on-top' of things I hear, it's like you've taken a mistress and haven't pleased her, not like a sailor at all."

Oh that man, he had had his fair share of wenches alright, all from unstable backgrounds. "This conversation is getting rather boring, so repetitive- jealous minions poking their noses in because I'm keeping a prisoner longer than necessary. I'm still working, I want to know why everybody cares so much about this prisoner." Jack spat.

"Me too, I hear the other world is involved...what is she? The messiah? Ha!" The woman retorted, losing interest and wiggling away to a dark corner of hell. The Gent though still looked keen to engage Jack.

"Now the rabble is out of the way...perhaps you could share with me her gifts – does she have any talents we don't know about?" He raised a brow at this.

"Gifts...she isn't a prophet or witch, she's just a girl born and raised in Boston." Come to think of it, he knew a lot more about her, though nothing special – and that was just it; she didn't have to be- and yet she was causing such a stir.

"She is a little unnecessary to keep for so long, but these recent turn of events have gave her a little edge...don't you think?"

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**Review time.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Inform me of any grammatical errors- I write too quickly, with lengthy breaks. Enjoy!**

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Catrina stepped in and out of a cold bath quickly, she wanted to stay clean but not freeze to death. Her skin had paled considerably over the past few hours, she was starving, energy levels depleting. When she had achieved cleaning her hair, she rubbed till it was damp so she could at least lie down without soaking the bed. She pinned the covers over and under her to trap in her warm breath- it helped, but made her drowsy. She succumbed to sleep rapidly.

She landed in something wet and dense, and thought for some crazy reason she had fallen overboard. But no, she was in a swimming pool- _I suppose that is less crazy._ Oh and it was warm, that was nice. She got showered when someone dive bombed behind her. "Aaaah."

"Boo!" A girl made herself know next to her, Emma?

"What on earth are you doing here?"

Emma backstroked to the edge. "Oh really? Is that the way to greet a friend? You invited me remember?"

"I did?" She retorted, going blank, before it clicked. "Right…my 14th birthday party." Emma smiled, she could only assume that she was right. Something dark caught her eye, and she clutched at her bangs- they were black. "Right, definitely my 14th birthday party…now looking back- this didn't work." Her friend frowned at her.

"You did it to yourself, to see what the big deal was about girls dying their hair…making a statement."

"Well, I wasn't making a statement." She quoted with her fingers. "I was just looking at my hair in a different colour, I wasn't showing off or trying to join a cult…or band of people that refer to themselves as emos." She couldn't find the edge of the pool.

Emma sniggered. "Weren't you trying to disguise yourself…to hide from somebody?"

It hadn't come to her mind, then and now – and it was a complete wake up call. The water went tepid. "Emma, you are my conscience, aren't you?"

Emma reclined on the edge of the pool, basking in the artificial sunlight. "You've been watching too many movies."

"Have I? If you had known what I had seen…you'd think you were in one, and this one I feel doesn't have a happy ending."

Her rant ended with her friend laughing mirthlessly. "Boy…you do go on and on and on!"

Catrina swivelled in the pool, finally seeing the other edge of the pool and made for it. "I prefer the lounger to water; movies with water are always sad flicks." She dragged her drenched form out and found the reclining loungers where she remembered them. Soon as she was on it- the one next to her suddenly became occupied, as if by magic. "Emma! You're not a shape-shifter…don't start imitating one."

The girl simply laughed. "It's your brain!"

Catrina felt embarrassed by the entity, her own friend was naturally scatty, but telling off an imitation she had created was silly. "Yes well…I'm under a lot of stress."

"No reason why you should, you have had a happy carefree life- no abuse, no angst, happy home, no identity crisis…not that I know of."

True. Very true- the only thing that concerned her was the bogeyman, who turned out to be real- Jack. And he had her- but not in that sense of the word, he had come into possession of her because of some screwed up deal made before she was born. Catrina needed counselling with her family on the matter, though Jack would probably see it as a legal battle…for custody. _Jesus Christ_.

"Perhaps Robert will emerge from the smoke to rescue me?"

Emma laughed heartily. "Now who's living in a fairytale, Robert won't jump to his feet for this mission, he hasn't even bothered looking for you when you were a mere bus away. And he's boring."

Catrina huffed. "He does have the habit of… not trying to be funny." The environment had closed in around them, fading away into the surrounding bright light. "It's like heaven."

"You wouldn't know."

"Well of course." Catrina retorted, beginning to lose her cool. She was up on her feet before the light could swallow her and the chairs, Emma was up too- the ever persistent follower. "What do you have to pass on?"

"Hopefully not you, I think Jack may be getting closer to finding a loophole."

This snagged Catrina's interest immediately. "What…so you are something aren't you? From the other realm, popping into my head for a quick chat?"

Emma didn't look amused. "That's right- I'm not Emma, but I am on a tight schedule, good guys are more organised- see I'm on the side of the angels." She pointed out accordingly.

"I think the bad would be more organised, they like to cover their tracks."

"'They like to cover their tracks?'- So you think you know them more than I do?" She snapped, giving her companion a contemptible leer.

"You have no patience to be on the side of the angels."Catrina folded her arms sceptically. "Who are you really?"

Emma had raised her hands in an aggressive gesture, Catrina assumed she was about to be strangled, but the girl merely clapped away their environment to end up in a bleached white warehouse. "You have no faith."

Catrina was stunned, had she been too busy to think on another level- to have been aware of other worlds watching over her? "Okay, that doesn't mean I have none, I'm reserved and cautious- this means nothing, my dreams could pull something off like this."

Her companion scoffed. "Human's have their fantasies, some people accidently view our world in comas or trances, damn careless gatekeepers."

This surprised Catrina a lot, who would have believed the good guys could be so strict? Who would want to go to a place like that? "You don't work for the angels." She finally outed dejectedly. "I would hope not, you seem grumpy, and long suffering…who would want to spend eternity with somebody like that?"

The woman turned on her heel sharply, catching Cat off guard. "Look I don't have the easy job…I have the paperwork, the angels, the guardians have the good stuff, the glory, the mighty power!"

"-Too angry, definitely not heavenly….don't guys like you get a break, shouldn't there be a heaven for you?" She began, keeping to a safe distance, what good it would do?- She had no idea- 'Emma' was in charge of the space.

The woman formally known as 'Emma' shook her head. "I get holidays, people like me have shifts, this is mine."

Catrina ambled closer. "So you have a job, some valuable information? Please get to the point- Do I have a search party coming?"

And there it was, the most understated words of her dilemma. Emma gave her a silly smile. "I like screwing with people, I could see you were uncomfortable with the sly- holier-than-thou attitude." She nodded to assert herself, Catrina had more reasons to be confused. "So Jack has disappeared off our radar-well…we never catch their sort on radar- but we know he paid a visit to management, we're guessing he's inquiring about the mutiny-"

"-Wait…What?" She felt she had walked in on a meeting that didn't concern her. "I don't know these things."

"Well of course you don't- you're not supposed to." The woman smugly slunk away to the furthest depth of the warehouse, where Catrina obligingly followed.

"You came here to tell me right? Not to prolong my agony in things that _don't concern me_."

She needed to learn not to push it, her exposure to these traumatic events had hardened her- and made her ignorant to the dangers when prying.

Emma though looked more than game to part with her knowledge. "Right you are, we have no power over demons that seek asylum on earth…disasters caused by them are incidents, if anything goes overboard we summon an apocalypse to wipe the slate clean...Thank heavens we haven't had to recently."

Catrina didn't see how this concerned her. "What's the good news?" Emma chortled again_, probably an irritating flaw_. Emma sobered as if she had heard.

"You can't kill a demon, only send them back to hell, and properly…straight into the pit, that's what happens when demons are demoted, it's best to make them fail."

It sounded like the fail part was directed at her. "So you really aren't going to do anything?" She bit the inside of her mouth in irritation. "Well you suck."

Emma furrowed her brows. "If we plucked you from the ship and dropped you off somewhere…you would be fed to the dogs, who knows who could find you and get themselves promoted- we don't need any more of those demons."

"You see, that's what I don't understand- I thought demons were after sinners…what good could come to them from my spotless soul?"

"So you know their motives?- Well you probably have seen it firsthand, demons like to condemn as many souls as possible to hell, it builds up on their quota and they get a better quality of life- good souls can't be sent to hell, but they can be trapped in purgatory- which is basically earth to them."

"-As I figured." Catrina added bitterly. "You think you could just save innocent souls…like Katie." The woman went quiet, perhaps it was guilt. "Or is she just an 'incident ' that you can't intervene in?"

It hit a nerve."Katie and all those people are a tragic loss, if we could welcome them home we would, but they are bonded to Jack and the ship- if it was as easy as that we could have saved everyone- but there needs to be a balance. Soon as Jack's reign of terror is over- then they can be free." Their environment became very sombre and dark, Catrina didn't want to ask if she could turn up the light and the heat, she didn't want to push it- or ' tempt the lord'.

"You want me to kill Jack, why didn't you get to that sooner?" She had the sneaky suspicion she was going to have to get herself out of this mess.

"Ha, yes… feisty- but indeed good, we can't ask that of you…that's what slayers are for." Catrina gapped, 'so slayers were real'- like Katie said. "Alas, many have met their end to Jack." She felt a muscle in her cheek twitch, it almost sounded like good news that Jack couldn't die. "We were hoping that he will fail his current position and be demoted- or better; be yanked back down into the pit. They're harmless when they are in the pit."

She zoned in on her opponent. "So you have a plan?- Let's hear it then." Catrina chirped earnestly, after all that was the whole point to the invasion of her mind. _It better be good._

Emma sucked in her lips apprehensively, gathering herself."He just has to fail, change his mind about everything- you have more power than you know." Her fixed stare penetrated her, as if to implant that thought in her head to provoke her- she needed little effort.

"That's a problem, I have no faith in him. Most girls get a kick out of the thought of changing a man, that's why most girls go for bad guys- they think they have the power to change them. I know for certain Jack is a cold case."

Emma wasn't giving up. "He is protective, a trait he never had in life or ever." Catrina was rapidly losing interest, she didn't want to spend her life trying the unachievable. "A man that can show loyalty to the slightest thing can be capable of compassion."

"I don't care." Catrina breezed, it was the cold callous hand that seized her and yanked her to face her opponent that made her freak, a yelp escaped her.

"Well then you must try to care!" Emma seethed. "It may not have been your destiny to end up doing this, but a higher and good power is asking this of you." The hand was cruel, it was crushing her arm, cutting off the circulation. "All you must do is gain Jack's trust, prevent him taking more souls…"

"What do you think I've been trying to do?- I can't stop the actions of a demon's feeding habits! If angels aren't capable of stopping evil, what chance do I have?" Catrina snatched her arm away, it would take some good hard effort to actually walk away and out of this place.

Emma's hard mask fell, exposing a gentler and serene face. "Sorry- we have let you down in the past."

Catrina thought she had misheard, she turned on her friend incredulously. "You are?"

There was a severe straight line between her lips. "Yes, we were warned about this so called deal that your mother made…we were displeased." Catrina flicked hair out of her eyes, _so it was true?_ "It was Maureen's destiny to destroy the ship and free the souls."

Catrina shook her head fretfully, her mother wouldn't turn her back on a destiny like that.

"I'm afraid so Catrina…Maureen did not know her destiny but she quite nearly followed it, instead something very different happened."

Catrina clamped her mouth together, tears threatening to fall. "Am I to blow up the ship? Will that help?"

Emma winced, and shrugged her shoulders- it didn't look too good. "I suppose, the souls would be free, the quota undone and Jack…in hell, but who's saying he will remain there?"

Thought provoking. Now it was her time to speak. "The bad souls will go to hell, the good to heaven- I will die also." It came out hush and whispy, lost in the big room they were in. "My mum and dad…"

"-Will have paid a heavy price for a mistake they made before your existence."

Catrina snarled. "That isn't very fair!" Angel or no angel, they had a shit system that needed fixing. "All because you have no control."

"Now that hardly seems fair." Emma tutted. "Did you want to hear my other option?"

"No." She responded distastefully, turning away from her to bite her thumbnail. "You must have given Jack an awful life to make him like this."

"It isn't our fault, he chose to be a miscreant." She said unenthusiastically. "So…" She crept her way to Catrina's side, who wanted nothing more than to avoid her like the plague. "My other option was for you to simply let him fail, if you killed him that would be it- it wouldn't be his fault, on the other hand if he failed because of his actions he would be demoted or sent to the pit…." Catrina wanted to slap her.

"How is that better? Will the souls be free?"

Emma became shifty. "Unfortunately we don't know, someone could probably claim the quota and the innocents may be freed, or trapped in purgatory until the quota is full and then accepted."

Catrina shook her head. "No one deserves to go to hell, no one." Something hit her like a tonne of bricks. "And if Jack is just demoted, he will be a normal demon- I would be….extremely vulnerable."

"Huh…like you are already?" Emma input, making the situation even more unnerving.

"No pity coming from you I see…What I mean is; he holds back a lot because of his current status." Catrina managed, realizing Jack does quite a lot for her, when he owes her nothing.

"How sweet, you can see how easy this is becoming, convert or death."

Catrina disagreed. "I have a feeling death- and not him; me…" She has been plagued with nightmares of when that day comes. She spied her companion check her watch. "Am I keeping you?" She added sarcastically.

Emma looked up brazenly. "Yes, our time is up."


	31. Chapter 31

This is a short chapter.

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Catrina sat bolt upright in her shabby little bed. It was night, she had missed a whole day. Her covers were over her as she had supposedly left them, but when she tugged, they didn't budge- they had been tucked in under the mattress. She wasn't sure if Katie had the proper form to do something like that. It took a little more force for what energy she had to untangle herself– so she was drained before she had even got up. When she set her foot on the floor to push herself up, she simply keeled over and off the bed, and probably broke a nail preventing her face hitting the wood. He must have been listening- because seconds later he popped in, leaning heavily on the door. "What are you doing scavenging on the floor?"

"I'm not…" Her arms shook with the effort to push herself up, she gave in and remained there. "I haven't eaten- so I think I'm dying."

"Bullshit, you're just being awkward." He gave her an almighty tug up- _to show off his flippant manliness_, and propped her into a chair, she sagged into it like a rag doll. He pulled a grimace. "And stop doing that…you're making the room look untidy."

"I don't have the strength to laugh so don't try to be funny." Her head was resting on the back of the chair so she wasn't even looking at him as she said this. It would be too much to watch him pace the room, but when he had gathered himself- she figured it was to deliver a terrible verdict.

"I went down to management, they weren't much good…apparently we've got company-" Catrina jerked "-Not here, not now…but somewhere, not part of management."

Catrina lolled her head to the side to throw a shrewd look at him. "Just say hell…it isn't my management, I don't work there!"

"I thought you were tired?" He chimed, and she managed a huff.

"I will be dead if you don't help me."

"You want my help?" He used his rare bitch voice. "I'm giving you free lodgings…you are beginning to out stay your welcome."

Catrina made a humongous gasp and clutched at her stomach. "Why are you so damn funny lately?" She pulled the cover over her head. "If you don't want me here- send me home."

"Send me home- means something else in my dictionary." He hinted. She took it he meant death and heaven, which she now knew existed- _oh how relieved she was!_ She broke from her trail of thought when something was chucked on her lap, it was wrapped in grease paper- _could it be?_

"A cheeseburger!" She almost ate it with the wrapper still on, during her merriment and hums of bliss- Jack retrieved a grocery bag, stood by the side of the bed, and emptied a mountain of burgers onto her lap. She whooped loudly, grabbing and devouring what she could in a short amount of time. Over one of the baps she caught him observing her with a finger pressed analytically to his lips. She dropped her meal, rustling the debris. "This isn't what you call a last supper, is it?"

He scoffed. "So morbid…No, death is not a journey I'm going to put you on." The bed dipped as he seated himself next to her. "I'm turning over a new leaf."

The cheeseburgers returned to her mouth, giving her time to think of something to say. _So he was going to be nice to her?- Which will make it a lot easier to cosy up to him, then hopefully his mission will be abandoned- therefore he will fail._ "We should have dinner." She managed, swallowing a big mouthful. Jack smiled in unison with her as she chose to offer him one burger. She was having a dejavu- certain she had done this before.

"Consider it a date." Jack's current stoop was like an awkward teenager. She just hoped it all wasn't just an act.

"Well you paid for it, so I suppose it kinda is." Silence consumed them, apart from the rustling of grease paper and the sound of munching. Catrina didn't know what to say next, she had exhausted herself being…well, horrible. And being nice with Jack was out of her comfort zone- which she was sure it was for Jack as well. Perhaps this was a test? "My energy is returning." She added, shielded by her food and paper.

"So strenuous activities are back in your books then?" He didn't even look at her when he said that, so she assumed it was entirely innocent. She noted he was on the same burger, where she had consumed 3 since. She hadn't thought he probably didn't need to eat.

"I'm not going to do a few laps of the ship- I think I've lost enough weight."

"Are you vain?"

Jack continued to eat while she pondered on this- staring at him like he had swore. "No." She retorted dubiously, waiting for an explanation. When it didn't come she felt compelled to speak- it sounded like their truce was about to come to an abrupt end. "Why would you think a girl concerned about her weight is vain- especially when she's insinuating she's underweight?"

"Forgive me, I have been surrounded by women all by life who scrutinise themselves with other women. It got kinda tiresome." Another bite was taken out of his morsel.

_Quick- he was getting into his personal life, find out more._ "Women like your mother?"

He continued to eat more fiercely, at least he wasn't taking it out on her. Jack paused mid chew, and Catrina's ears perked up. "She wasn't vain- she was too close to _her_ god to be vain."

"She was a religious woman?" Interesting. "And she bore the spawn of satan."

Jack looked at her sharply, dropping a ball of grease paper. "She was good, she didn't judge people, she had so much damn faith in humanity…then it all changed." His voice was angry and hurt, his fist became white and he shoved it against his mouth to silence himself. Catrina wanted to rip the hand away to make him pour his heart out.

Catrina empathy kicked in. "And so she should, humanity was god's greatest creation." She very tentatively reached for his back, laying a hand on him- but Jack suddenly jumped into a standing position, she retreated slightly on her bed- about to kick out in case he attacked her.

"You sound like her." He said so deathly quiet, it irked her- he hadn't yelled. "And I hated her because of it…." Catrina felt herself shaking. "I hated her because she was so good, and I knew I was nothing like her."

She swallowed down a lot of fear with remnants of her burgers. "So Sundays must have been like flu-shot day."

"-Like you wouldn't believe!" The bed cushioned his buttocks once more, he turned to engage her. "Mothers want the best for their children right?" Catrina nodded to this- she would have nodded to anything he had said though. "What if the best thing was to leave them to their own devices, stop trying to 'save' them."

"So you were aware your mother was trying to save you from damnation?- Well that's a start." She chimed, allowing the strain to leave her voice, the fear went with it. "What did she do wrong, other than love you?" Catrina detected she was approaching rough territory which could result in violence- on her.

Jack went still beside her, staring at her rather sedulously, as if she was about to answer her own question. "Perhaps her arrogance over her ability to change me?" Well that trumped her.

"-Wait, are you talking about your mother or me?"

Jack huffed at her sudden bout of stupidity.

"Arrogance that isn't even present- who says I want to change you?!" Catrina was on the verge of a rant, not something you would want to be an audience of, she could go on for hours defending herself, long after everyone had left the room. "You are a cold case my friend, something that could be left on the shelf for years- and believe me, no one is capable of changing your sorry ass but yourself." Jack remained nonplus. "I'm not here as an intervention for your demonic ways, you have to want to change, in order to change, that was probably your mother's mistake…"

There was clapping ringing in her ear hole, she stalled long enough to see Jack applauding her with a deadpan face. _Didn't he know mocking her would just egg her on some more?_ "Does your mother see you when you turn into a diva?" He said with such dark humour, that didn't exactly anger her- so she laughed, into his face, in short bursts enough to ruffle his hair.

Her face was pink by the time she had finished."I would never speak to my mother like this… my dad would kill me."

"-Is that how a normal family works?" He asked shrewdly.

"-I answer one question and then receive another." He was turning the conversation onto her. "Healthy families have parents who try to defend each other, sometimes either parent wants to look like the good guy- but this can lead to an argument later when they're on their own…" She shrugged off going into more detail. "I suppose single parent families don't have that, am I right?"

Jack perked up. "They have underachieved kids, with no fear of authority." This was turning into a political debate.

"There's no proof of that, some single parent families are closer than two parent ones."

"Someone's been watching too much Gilmore girls." Jack droned, slinking off the bed.

She thought for a moment. "How the hell do you know what the Gilmore girls' is about?" This should be interesting.

He snuck a glance at her, it was impossible for him to appear sheepish. "I've been around long enough to hear about such atrocities. "

"And there was me thinking you watched something hearty in between your doses of porn." She fell back onto her pillow, all the air left it and expelled dust into the atmosphere. The demon observed her from his position by the door- poised to leave. "How did she die?"

His face betrayed him before he left.


End file.
